Lily Potter And The Last Wizard
by Scruffy-looking
Summary: 10 years after the Epilogue of Deathly Hallows, young Lily Potter and her famous father team up to fight a new threat to the entire wizarding world.
1. Chapter 1 Perdition

**Lily Potter and The Last Wizard  
**A Harry Potter Fanfic

_Disclaimer: __Harry Potter is the sole intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, and the ideas and characters used in this story are strictly for noncommercial purposes only._

* * *

Introduction: Like everyone else, I have been a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. Unless and until J.K. Rowling decides to write new stories, or fill in the backgrounds of her characters in her proposed encyclopedia, readers interested in more Harry Potter-related stories will have to rely on fanfic. As a fanfic author, I humbly submit this story for your enjoyment and entertainment.

Why read this story, when there are so many HP fanfics to read ? For those who have not read my other works, you can trust that I do a better than fair job of writing comprehensive stories that are based in canon and extend the existing works. Of course, I would never claim that this is what will or likely will happen in the future, but I think it's a plausible story, given the seven novels and Rowling's post-DH comments. I have added my own spin on things, and some (or many) of the elements of this story may not necessarily be appealing to every reader - I can say, this will not be a lighthearted tale, but it should be a good read.

For those witches, wizards, and Muggles who wish to read, please enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Perdition**

…Helplessness…  
…Frustration…  
…Humiliation…  
…Nothingness…  
…Despair…  
…Silence…  
…Pain…  
…Light…  
…Voices…  
…a presence…

_Can you hear me?_

Was he imagining it? He strained to hear. Then he realized he couldn't hear, because he had no ears. No body, no substance.

He fought against his nonexistence. _Here! I'm here!_

There was no response.

_HERE!_

Still no answer. An eternity passed. Then slowly…slowly…the void took shape.

"Is it you?"

Not just a thought—he heard it! He could _see!_

He was surrounded by white light. An indistinct figure floated in front of him. As he stared, he realized he was in an infant's body. Floating in the whiteness, he drifted towards the figure, hopeful beyond words.

The figure became clearer—and he was stunned. _It couldn't be!_

"Help me!" he cried. _Literally_.

"I'm here," said the voice. With that, an overwhelming flood of emotion poured out of him, astonishing him in its intensity and content.

Strange words poured from his mouth: "I'm sorry," he babbled, over and over again. "Please, forgive me—"

"It's all right, I'm here to help." He felt a feeling so strange it was as if it were the first time he had ever felt such an emotion.

He was feeling joy.

"Do you know who you are?" the woman asked.

Thinking about it, he realized he didn't. _Who am I? _His ignorance alarmed him. But details were assembling rapidly; before him the white void was taking shape. Ghostly memories began to dance around him. And in an instant, the pieces came together.

He was _dead!_ And it was because of the _BOY!_

All his fear and terror turned to rage. An inchoate scream spewed from his mouth. His pathetic limbs flailed in helpless fury.

"I must know something, my son," the woman said gently. He stared at her, at the woman who, when he learned who she was, had once stirred nothing but anger and contempt. Now he was wary. _Something is not right…_

Straining to be nonplussed, he said mildly: "What has happened to me? What is going on?"

"You know what happened," she replied. _But he didn't._ He was completely ignorant of what had happened, where he was, how long ago it had happened, and most important—why.

"Am I a ghost?"

"Perhaps."

"Are you?"

"Perhaps. There are many mysteries about death which I do not know the answers."

Fidgeting, he said: "I don't understand."

"I don't, either. But I know one thing that we both share." She paused. "We both want revenge."

Finally she was making sense! "Yes, yes; revenge!" The path ahead was suddenly clear. "You must do what I say, so that I can be reborn—"

"That is impossible; we are beyond the concerns of life."

He was horrified. "No! I must return, I must have revenge—"

"—You cannot, but I can. Just tell me what I need to know."

Her words confused him. "What do you mean, you can? You're dead as well?" He was about to argue more, but she held up a hand. He fell silent.

She hesitated. Finally, she said: "I died a long time ago. But I can relay your knowledge to those who can use it."

Now he was angry; angry because he was so helpless, and that he would have to put himself in her power. Dependency on anyone was a weakness, usually a fatal one. _But if I am dead, then what else do I really have to fear?_

Suddenly, he felt confident. _I have survived Death!_ And having done so, he would be able to come back to the living world and have his vengeance; of that, he was certain.

_Very well.__ My mother was a fool in life; I'm sure I can outwit her in death. _Solemnly, he said: "Mother, what do you want to know?"

A pause. "You have been abandoned," she said slowly. "All who follow you are dead, or have renounced your name."

He hissed in anger. Responding to her quizzical look, he said resignedly: "A danger I had foreseen. I had found even the purest of blood were often weak and cowardly. No doubt with my demise, they would be hesitant, like the first time I appeared to die." He paused. "But surely, some of the pure blood must be trying to carry on?"

"There are none. The pure blood of Wizardry fades to nothingness."

Her words shocked him. _How could it have gone wrong so quickly? _Once again, he was filled with anger and despair, but this time despair won out.

"They must be punished. And you know how to do it."

Slowly he focused his infant eyes on her, unable to hide his puzzlement and concern.

"You have a secret weapon," she said at last. "Something which no witch or wizard can resist. Tell me what it is."

Now he felt true fear. _Yes.__ I__n life, I__ had left no corner of magica__l knowledge unexplored, and if she is referring to what I think she is, she wants knowledge of the__ darkest m__agic of __all. _Even he, at the height of his powers, had never dared use it, for it was too horrible to comprehend, even for himself._ If there was any__thing worse than death, that would have been__ it._

Having researched, then mastered this most terrible of all magic, he had destroyed all traces of his work. The only knowledge of it had been hidden deep inside his own mind, concealed behind memories of memories, existing only in dreams of dreams. And as he unraveled the barriers within, he was satisfied to find that it had survived even second death.

It was truly a terrible thing to behold. But he was now very suspicious. "If you know of it, why do you need me?"

For the first time, his mother appeared nervous. Haltingly, as if she didn't know what she was going to say, she stammered: "I don't know what it is. But… being my son… I knew that you would have a secret weapon. Not only would you have Horcruxes to secure your life for eternity… you would also have… something… to ensure no wizard would dare rise against you… once you came to power."

Her words chilled her, for indeed that was what he had originally hoped for this magic. _Only even I was too afraid to use it._ But now, what had been his second-most precious asset was merely information which apparently could not yet be used. _Far more important that I gain her trust and use her to return to the living._

Of course, if she put his knowledge to use, there would not be much of a wizarding world left to return to. But that prospect, which he had so feared in life, did not faze him. _They are unworthy,_ he thought contemptuously. _Even the so-called pureblood.__ Let them suffer the Ultimate Death—just as long as I am there to see it!_

The prospect of revenge was _so_ sweet! Carefully hiding his eagerness, he said: "Very well. I shall tell you what I know." Slowly and carefully, he explained the magic so foul no wizard had ever dared to give it a name, lest it infect them merely by thinking of it.

After what seemed like hours, she nodded. "Thank you, my son. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Finally beginning to feel in charge of the situation, he shook his head and said smoothly: "Now that I have shared with you, you must do something for me in return. I think I know some spells which can help bring me back, all you have to do is follow—"

There was a terrible shriek: "Monster, I no longer need listen to you!" The image of his mother was distorting, twisting into something terrible to behold.

He screamed in fear, a fear prompted not only by her twisted form. "Wait, we had a deal!"

"You were mistaken… _thing_!" The creature screamed. "Now that I have what I want, I return you to your place of eternal damnation!"

As it spat those words, to his utter horror everything was starting to disappear, including his newborn form.

"Wizards shall pay for their crimes," the creature said. "We shall be avenged."

"What are you?" he screamed as everything faded away.

_I am Nothing...__ as you shall forever be__…_

_NO!_

_…  
…_  
…Helplessness…  
…Frustration…  
…Humiliation…  
…Nothingness…  
…Despair…  
…Silence…  
…Pain…  
…Helplessness…  
…Frustration…  
…Humiliation…  
…Nothingness…  
…Despair…  
…Silence…  
…Pain…  
…Helplessness…  
…Frustration…  
…Humiliation…  
…Nothingness…  
…Despair…  
…Silence…  
…Pain…  
…Helplessness…


	2. Chapter 2 First Day On The Job

**Chapter 2 – First Day On The Job**

* * *

As the first chimes from the desktop clock brayed, Lily Potter's first instinct was to pull the covers over her head tighter. _I still have time._

Sensing her reluctance to rise, the chimes increased in volume. Lily shut her eyes and mumbled wordlessly, trying without success to jinx the clock without benefit of a wand. _You can't make me get out of bed!_

The stubborn clock refused to give up. It clanged, bonged, and made a noise akin to a hundred flutes each screeching a different note. Steam poured from its sides as it began bouncing up and down on the table.

"All right, you demon," she sighed. Pulling the covers off, she brushed a strand of dark auburn hair clear of her eyes and reached for her wand. With a tap on the head, the clock instantly fell silent. Now Lily got up and walked towards the bathroom. Involuntarily she began to hop, as the floor was very cold.

Washing her face clean, Lily stared into the mirror. A long lean face, mouth hanging slightly open, stared back. Her shoulder-length hair was twisted and tangled. She laughed softly: "You're not going to impress looking like that!" Taking her wand, she twirled it over her head, which put her hair into a much neater affair, and brought some color to her somewhat pale cheeks.

Now presentable, she rummaged her closet for the proper attire. Lily chose a dark brown business set, a smooth combination of robes and Muggle-style dress that was in fashion these days. Slipping on some sandals, she picked up her Reporter's Codex and pocketed her wand. Before leaving her bedroom, she paused.

_Maybe I can sneak out the window,_ Lily mused. No doubt the rest of the family was waiting downstairs to see her off, but she hated the idea of drawing attention to herself. Unfortunately, the sudden call of her mother foreclosed that option.

"Lily! Breakfast's ready!" She said nothing, a satisfying if childish act of defiance. Then she yelled again: "We're all waiting!"

_And that's that._ "Coming," she replied, as she went downstairs.

* * *

Walking into the dining room, a veritable cornucopia of food worthy of the feasts at Hogwarts was arrayed before her, as did her parents and brothers. Appreciatively, she said: "Thanks Mum, but you didn't have to go to all this trouble."

Her mother looked at her bemusedly. "That's what I said to them, but they would hear nothing of it."

Lily's mouth fell open in amazement as she sat down. "Since when did you guys learn to cook?"

"You'd be surprised at our hidden talents," James replied as he began eating.

"The pleasure's ours," her dad said, his voice muffled with a mouth full of sausages.

"Can't start nosing into other people's business on an empty stomach," Albus said with a wink.

Lily rolled her eyes and grabbed some toast. Ginny Potter said sharply: "Albus!"

"Just kidding," he mumbled quickly. He had an impish grin on his face, which she could tell meant that he was joking. _A good thing, because sometimes I wonder__—_

"So do you know what your first assignment is?" James asked conversationally.

"Not exactly," Lily replied. "It's a relatively new publication, but Mr. Albertsworth has big plans, so I'm sure it'll be for the public's interest."

"Who knows, maybe he'll send you after Dad," James said wryly.

"If so, I don't stand a chance," her dad said with a smile, pushing up his glasses as bent over and ate some cereal.

Ribbing from Albus Lily was used to, and could handle, but James' words seemed out of character. To her, it was almost a challenge, causing her to well up within. Without showing anything, she said calmly: "I'm sure our readers will love to know about what's going on in the magical herbs business," she said flatly. "You never know who's putting what into the soil these days. Didn't some witches recently get some shriveled hands from a bad batch of gobbleroot? Why would that happen?"

Now Albus' mouth fell open in mid-bite. James looked stricken, which suggested he might have been joking after all. But she wouldn't back down. "I know perfectly well what you all think about what I'm doing," she said forcefully. "You don't have to worry, I know perfectly well what my responsibilities are as a reporter." Getting up, she added: "Have a good day, everyone," as she began to head for the front door.

Her mother said nothing, perhaps understanding now was not a good time to criticize. Both her brothers got up in protest, apologetic, but she had nothing to say to them.

"Lily, wait. We're sorry."

She froze in mid-step. Turning, she faced her dad, Harry Potter, who had stood up as well.

"What did you do, Dad?" she said.

Smiling, he said: "Maybe nothing. But I know you still think we all disapprove of your career choice. We don't—well, I don't. We're just concerned that you do well."

Her anger faded, replaced by a desire to engage him, as she so often had done in the past. "No concerns at all?"

He shook his head, sending his long, grey-flecked black hair waving about. "Your job is one of the most important of all. Nothing is more important than telling the truth; after all, if your colleagues had done that before…"

Shrugging, his voice faded, and everyone was silent. Her mother then said: "Just make the right choice, Lily," as she came up to her. "We trust you, but a reminder never hurts."

Finally the tightness in her chest lifted. "Thanks, Mum." They hugged, and soon she was surrounded by everyone hugging her.

"No hard feelings, Sis," James said with a smile.

"Leave no stone unturned," Albus said, rubbing her head. "Just so you know, the robes business is completely on-the-up."

"Thanks all. Okay, thanks, I need to go now!" Gently she wiggled free. "Don't you all have to go to work soon, too?"

"No worries," her dad said.

"Bye." Waving, she exited the front door and Apparated away.

* * *

Surrounded by many passing wizards and witches walking about on Diagon Alley, Lily made her way to the doors of _The Wizarding Weekly_. As she entered the lobby, a large balding man with a long grey mustache was standing in front of her.

"Morning, Miss Potter!" boomed Thaddeus Albertsworth, the prideful but skilled Chief Editor of _The Wizarding Weekly_.

"Good morning, Mister Albertsworth," she said energetically. "Where do I start?"

"Just what I wanted to hear," he said. "Come, follow me." With a come-hither gesture, he turned and walked away. Lily followed after him, looking left and right at the various people scribbling away on long scrolls.

"How is this, Sir?" a young goblin said, holding up a parchment with the afternoon news update.

Stopping, he peered down, running his index finger silently over the page. "Change the headline to 'Gold Market Collapsing?', 'Falling' is too weak. And use the other picture of Mrs. Ranzit, the one with the feathered hat. Otherwise it's good. Good work, Lantek!"

"Thank you, sir," the goblin said, waddling away. She followed him up a flight of stairs and into his office, a large room filled with scrolls of every length lying about. A portrait of Elisha Macaroy, a famous editor of _The Daily Prophet _and the mentor of her boss, looked down with a sere expression.

"Please, have a seat." He gestured to a chair in front of his desk. Lily sat.

"So," he said breezily, wheezing a bit. "How's the family?"

"They're all fine," she said easily. "My younger brother's come up with a new set of designer robes that he says will be a smash hit this fall."

"How about your other brother—Albus, is it?"

"James," she corrected, "my older brother. He's fine, too, although I don't know how much longer he wants to stay in the farming trade. Some of his Handtrees attacked his employees a while ago, and they're still trying to settle things."

"And your mum?"

Lily sighed. "Getting ready for Quidditch pre-season." Before he could say anything, she said: "My dad's doing well, too, good health, sound mind. Sometimes he makes noises about retiring from the Ministry, but none of us believe it."

"What do you think?"

She smiled. "I think I've talked enough about my family. Don't you?"

He nodded sagely. "I didn't mean to pry, Miss Potter. The point is, a reporter has to be observant, and your own inner circle is a good place as any to exercise one's powers of observation."

Lily frowned. "Do you suggest to all your reporters to spy on their loved ones?"

"No, but you always have to keep your eyes open. I'm sure that's nothing new to you, yes?"

"Nothing new," she repeated. Inside she winced, for she was indeed a careful observer and listener of her family. _He must have seen that in me. That, or he wants a Potter in his hat._ He wouldn't be the first; far from it.

"Very well, to business," he said brusquely. "What beat do you want to be on?"

_Finally!_ "I would like to help cover Ministry affairs," she said immediately. "I know you may have questions about whether I may have any conflicts of interest, with my dad, uncle, and aunt-in-law working for the Ministry of Magic, but I can assure you—"

"No," he interrupted her, holding up a massive hand. "I have more than enough reporters covering the Ministry beat. I had something else in mind."

"Such as?"

"I want you to start out in the Entertainment Division." She stared blankly. "Your first assignment is to do some investigative work on one Marla Parkinson. Do you know who she is?"

"No," she said tightly, even though she knew perfectly well who she was.

"Well, she's a famous magical model, very beautiful, your brother would know all about her."

Lily bit her lip, itching to tell him what she really thought. "Besides being attractive and very well-dressed, what exactly has she done that is newsworthy?"

"Well, our readers would like to know more about her, she's being considered for a role in the conjuredrama of _The Warlock's Hairy Heart._ She's avoided all contact with the press lately, and people want to know what's going on."

Lily did her best not to lose her temper; she was a calmer witch than her mother, but when provoked she could explode with the best of them. "I think personal affairs are not the concern of the general public, but I might be old-fashioned. Why do you think differently?"

"I'm not asking you to dig into her privacy, but entertainment is a serious business these days." He grimaced. "It's a strange thing, I admit, something of a contamination from the Muggles if you ask me, but reality is what it is."

Lily sighed. _When Albus learns about this, I'll never hear the__ end of it._ _'Public interest' indeed! _Of course, she could simply quit, and pick up a freelance writing job, but chances were, any other publisher would rather she write a tell-tale book about her family than anything she wrote about the news of the day.

"Am I going to have to chase stories about the affairs of famous witches and wizards for the rest of my career?" she asked wearily. "Or will I ever have a chance to do something more important?"

Albertsworth's eyes narrowed. "Miss Potter, I know very well you do not want to receive special treatment because of your background. Understand that the wand works both ways," he said coolly. "You must prove yourself from the beginning, just as every young witch and wizard starting off their adult lives. What I ask of you is no different than what I would have asked any young reporter in your steed."

Suddenly she felt chastened. "I'm sorry, Sir, you're correct."

A smile came back to his face. "Very good. And yes, I do promise to assign you to areas more according to your interest in the future. But we can't always have what we want, and sometimes we must do what is required first, no matter how unpleasant."

"All right, where do I begin?"

He got up, rummaged through some scrolls on his desk, then pulled out a tightly-rolled one tied together with a red ribbon. "Here is some background information. Lily, normally I would ask you to do some investigative reporting for an article, but given your talents and background, I think it's very possible for you to get an interview with Miss Parkinson straightaway. See if you can arrange that first."

She opened the scroll and began reading it. "All right, I'll get started."

"Very good! This article is not time-sensitive; you have until the end of the month to finish it, unless current events require."

"I understand. Good-bye, Mister Albertsworth."

"Good hunting, Potter." She left the room.

* * *

Lily Potter left the _Wizarding Weekly _building to get lunch. She was still a little upset and disappointed with the mundane nature of her first assignment, but Albertsworth's words still echoed in her ears. _I'll do this, this time, but that's it._ No matter what was required or expected, however, there were things she would not do. _I will never be like—_

—There was a small pop, and a woman suddenly appeared alongside her.

"Morning, Miss Potter. Care for a little chat?" For a moment, Lily didn't know who the middle-aged woman was. She had wispy blonde hair, unusual glasses—

—Then it hit her. "You!"

"Me." Rita Skinner grinned. "How's the family?"

"None of your business," she said curtly, walking past her. Skeeter hurried to stay alongside her.

"Come on, Lily, I know you're a reporter now, I can give you some pointers, teach you all my tricks. You're just starting off, you're going to need a mentor."

"If I want to be a nosy, unethical, prevaricating busybody, who's willing to lie to curry favor with those in power, I'll contact you. Until then, leave me be."

Skeeter grabbed her arm. "Come on, give me a chance! I admit, I may have gotten a few details wrong, but I got a lot right, too! We could be great together, your youthful energy plus my experience—"

"This is your last warning. Let go of me or else!"

"Don't you want to know the whole truth?" Her face became an ugly sneer. "You should know, your father hasn't told you everything—"

Pulling out her wand, Lily screamed: _"INJUNCTIVUS!" _There was a sudden flash, and Rita Skeeter was hurled thirty feet away, landing on the other side of the street. Numerous people in the area turned to see what was going on.

Lily kept walking. Behind her, Skeeter had transformed into a bug and was flying after her, but when she got within ten feet, there was another bang, and this time Skeeter was nowhere to be seen. Lily grinned wolfishly. _Sometimes being a daughter of the head of the Auror Office—and the man who defeated the Dark One—has its privileges._ If Skeeter tried to get close to Lily one more time, the Injunctivus Curse placed on her twenty years ago, as punishment for her harassment of the Potter family and slander of Dumbledore, would Apparate her straight to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. _Then she'll have to deal with Aunt Hermione! _

Feeling better than she had for a long time, Lily made her way to a local lunch shoppe. Over a hearty stew, she began reading and planning how to attack her assignment.


	3. Chapter 3 Whispers at St Mungo's

**Chapter 3 – Whispers at St. Mungo's**

* * *

"Marla Parkinson, you are too beautiful for your own good," Lily Potter said to no one in particular.

Eating her stew, not enjoying it as much as she normally would, Lily became way too familiar with the life details of her subject, a picture of whom twirled about and flashed an ostentatious smile to the photographer over and over again. Tall and slender with long flowing blond hair, Marla was about eight years older than she was, the daughter of one Pensée Parkinson and Adenau Hartzlebean. _Her mother didn't take her husband's name,_ she noted with casual interest.

For ten years after leaving Beauxbatons early, she had been modeling the latest in robes and witches ware, and was now staring in a new conjuredrama of _The Beetle and the Bard_. Although like any young witch she enjoyed the spectacle of this newly-invented magical storytelling production, which made the audience members feel as if they were in the midst of the story, for Lily they would never quite match the magical combination of ineffably compelling moving flat images and sounds that her eccentric grandfather showed her when she was only a few years old. _What were they called__ again__? '__Movings__'?_ _Something like that…_

For the past seven weeks, Miss Parkinson had disappeared for long stretches from the rehearsals for the conjuredrama. Rumors from a bevy of publications, each of lower repute than the next, speculated that she had either come down with a serious illness, or stormed off the stage due to disputes with the chief conjuremaster, or that she had run away to Stonehenge with some wizard other than her fiancée. Inwardly, Lily flinched. _All these people trying to find out thing__s they had no reason to know. _

So why was she now trying to do the same?

_Because I have a job to do?_ How many terrible people in the past had justified their actions with that reason?

_You have to make the right choice, whenever you can. _Maybe this was just a rationalization, but it was true regardless of the circumstance. _Who knows, there may be a public concern involved here after all?_ Now _that_ sounded like a rationalization, so she abruptly cut off all further recriminations in her mind. Folding up the scroll and gathering her things, she thought resolutely, _do what you must, and let things fall where they may._

She Apparated away.

* * *

"Not here! Not here!" the house-elf squealed, slamming the door in her face.

_Okay, that didn't go well._ But she had to start from the beginning, even though she knew it would be futile. Backing away from the shady little house, she took in the surroundings of Minor Dovetown. _W__hy would a famous witch like Marla__ live here?_ Probably to escape attention, but something about that didn't seem right. And there was something else: where were all the other reporters? Why weren't they here, trying to get the story like she was? The answer she came up with was unpleasant: having investigated this, they had found nothing, and had moved on to other things.

Lily began to feel discouraged. _In that case, start with your strengths._ If the reason Miss Parkinson had disappeared from public view was due to illness, there was but one place to begin looking.

A moment later, she was in front of the entrance to St. Mungo's Hospital. Now she felt a surge of confidence. _Every good reporter needs sources to rely on, and in this case I have one of the best!_

When her turn in line came, she walked up to the old witch in the foyer, who curtly asked: "What ails you, my dear?"

"Nothing," Lily replied. "I'm here to see Healer Rose Weasley."

"Rose Weasley," the witch replied, flipping through an old book. "Who might I ask is calling?"

"My name is Lily Potter, I'm her cousin." The witch eyed her quizzically, but to Lily's relief did not burst with recognition of her famous patrimony. She waved her wand, and a sheet of paper folded into a plane and flew away.

"All right, I have dispatched a message to her. Please go to the Visitor's Teashop on the fifth floor and wait for her there."

"Thank you." On her way she passed many witches and wizards with a variety of ailments, and scores of Healers. Lily had barely taken a seat when an excited cry called out.

"Lily!"

"Rose!" The two young women ran towards each other and embraced.

"How's everything?"

"Fine. Busy day in the hospital?"

"Oh, nothing but the usual. A waterdemon bite here, spilled potions there." A wry smile came across Rose's face. "Doing some investigative work, are you?"

"No, I was in the neighborhood, and it's been so long since I last saw you, I had to stop by." They both laughed; Rose and Lily had been the closest of friends since childhood.

"Alright, you little Ferret, I'll play, but the law is the law," Rose said with mock somberness. _Or was it?_ Unlike her very direct mother, Rose had a mischievous side to her, not dissimilar to her brother Albus… or her dad.

Lily dropped her voice; the tearoom was relatively empty, but no need to take chances. "Has Miss Marla Parkinson been admitted to St. Mungo's recently for any serious magical ailment?"

Rose blinked. "I can say she's been to the hospital in recent times—that's part of the admission record—but I can't say much more than that."

Lily considered Rose's words. "Was it ever for an emergency? Or for non-natural ailments?"

Now Rose seemed uneasy. Quickly glancing around, she leaned over and whispered: "This is going to come out very soon, so while it's technically against the rules to say… in practical terms I can tell you, so long as you don't print it."

_How will that help? _But Lily did not argue; intelligent as she was, Rose would not have said what she did if it would really get either of them in trouble. "Okay."

Rose did something unexpected: she mouthed silently. It caught Lily off-guard, so she missed what she said. Perhaps realizing it, Rose mouthed again: _Marla is going to have a baby._

"Really? But… what about that spread in the _Daily Prophet?_" A little more than a week ago, the last public photo of Parkinson had been taken, and she looked her normal slender self.

"There are… certain potions a witch can take, which can maintain, or even improve a witch's figure. You can use them—relatively safely—until as recently as the day before."

"That doesn't sound all that safe," Lily said.

"You're right, it's not—and using them in that circumstance is illegal. But most witches have better sense than to do it."

"So why?"

"Because of her job?"

"Yeah, but she hasn't been on the job lately." Lily was thinking, but there were too many unanswered questions. She tried a different line of attack. "How many know about it?"

"The press has no idea—we've made sure of it." _That was an interesting response._ Lily pressed further.

"Is everything going alright?"

"I don't know—I'm not involved, but…" Rose's voice trailed away.

"But what?"

Rose did not answer. Lily waited patiently, then started to feel a little apprehensive. _But what?_ Outwardly Rose was placid, but Lily could tell she was deep in thought. Lily waited.

Suddenly Rose stood up. In a loud voice she said: "Of course, I'd be happy to give you a tour of the Hospital Wing. Come with me."

Rose turned and began walking out. Confused, Lily followed after her. They walked down to the second floor, where a large sign said, "Magical Bugs." The array of injuries she saw was enough to make her look down at the ground as she walked, looking only at the back of Rose's robes. She seemed in a hurry.

Rose was speaking as if she was giving a tour, pointing out the various beds and facilities, occasionally greeting a Healer or patient that she knew. Abruptly they turned into another corridor, one which was almost deserted. Lily looked up, and a sign here said: "Healing Annex 2 – Special Concerns."

There was almost no one here, except for a relatively young couple holding an infant in their arms. The child was heavily wrapped, and when they saw her they hurriedly covered the infant up, shielding him (or her) from Lily's eyes. Quickly Lily looked away, but in the brief moment of eye contact, she had seen—anger? Fear?

_Despair?_

They walked past a few doors, then stopped before one. Rose waved her hand over the door, which unlocked. They both went in. Lily saw they were in a healing room, with a bed on one side, and a table top filled with vials and cauldrons of various liquids.

After she closed the door, Rose turned her back to her and began putting together a very complex potion.

"What is this place?" Lily asked, looking around.

"A special wing, for new and unusual maladies. Normally it's not very busy here."

Lily began to understand. "And now?"

A pause. "That couple out there is not the only one."

"What's wrong?" Rose did not answer, her complete attention being taken by the potion she was making.

Lily was curious. "What are you drafting?"

"Vivia Potento." _Never heard of it_. She waited for an explanation, and got one: "It's an extremely powerful health potion," Rose said, "only given to very young infants who are extremely sick."

Bemused, Lily quipped: "I don't remember seeing that in our potion cabinet."

"When I said 'extremely sick'," Rose said with surprising vehemence, "I mean, _extremely sick_." She turned around and held up a glass flask filled with sky-blue potion. Lily stepped back involuntarily. She was at a loss for words.

Rose carefully bottled the potion and placed it inside a cold locker. Abruptly she said: "Okay, Ferrett, I need to get back to work. I'll show you the way out." Her voice was strangely cheerful, but Lily noticed Rose's eyes, blinking rapidly. _Stress?_

"Thanks for everything. Say hi to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione for me!"

They left the room and walked towards the exit. As they did so, another couple was hurrying down the other way, following a pair of Healers. None of them seemed to pay any attention to Lily and Rose. When they passed, Lily heard the man say, "…Nothing! Nothing happened! You have to help us, we can't bear…" Their voices trailed away in the distance. Lily dared not look back.

At the entrance to the main stairwell, there was a hive of activity. The two of them shared a final silent look.

"Good luck, Lily," Rose said quietly, stepping towards her and hugging her, firmly.

When they separated, Lily said: "Thanks. See you soon." Rose quickly disappeared into the mass of Healers going about their business. Lily went down the stairs and exited the hospital, lost in thought.

* * *

"You may not think so, but that's a great assignment!" Albus said enthusiastically at the dinner table. "I met Marla once—gorgeous witch, when she wore one of my designs at Mortus, sales tripled!"

"Perhaps you could introduce us," Lily said with a hint of sarcasm. "After all, that's one more time than I've ever met her."

"Witches like her are found when they want to be found. And another thing," Albus said, his voice muffled as he talked while eating, "publicity is her strongest magic. She'll show up, before you know it."

"I'm sure." As she finished her meal, she said: "You really surprise me, this is as good a chicken roast as I ever had."

"Why thank you," Albus said with a bow. "I expect nothing less from you tomorrow."

"Eep," Lily grunted. With Quidditich season about to start, their Mum was busy at WWN preparing to broadcast matches, so they would have to do the cooking. Meanwhile, their dad flitted in and out of the house at irregular intervals; right now he wasn't here either. James was back at his place, so Albus and Lily had run of the Potter house tonight.

"Let me take care of that—"

"—No, I'll do the dishes." To prove it, she took out her wand and in one flowing motion, sent them all into the sink, flushing them with water.

"Well done. Alright, good night then, I've got to get up early."

"Me too. Night Albus." After doing some more tidying spellwork, Lily climbed up the stairs and into bed. In the darkness, she heard first her mother, then her father come home, engage in grown-up talk, then went to bed themselves.

Closing her eyes, Lily was lost in thought. _Marla's having a baby… and there's something wrong, something very wrong - a new sickness in the wizarding population?_ She remembered the behavior of that first couple, and especially the second._ 'Nothing! Nothing happened!'_ echoed in her brain over and over again. _An unknown illness—that attacks children?_ If so, that was public news of the highest order. _First thing tomorrow, I'll get on it._ The only question was, could she do it without having to rely completely on Rose?

_We'll see._

* * *

The next morning, Lily was so excited she was almost out the door before saying goodbye to her parents and Albus. She walked into the _Wizard Weekly_ building at a rapid clip, making her way for Albertsworth's office.

The editor was most surprised to see her so excited. "My dear, what's all the commotion about?"

"I think I'm on to something, something important. It's—" Before she could finish her sentence, there was a frantic knock on the door.

"Alright, alright, just come in," Albertsworth said, annoyed. Lantek rushed in, holding a stack of newspapers.

"Sir, you have to read these, they're just-released morning specials from the competition!" He placed them on the desk and waddled out.

"Morning specials? What could have happened so soon they'd have to put out a new edition right after the first one of the day?" He took one, and Lily took another. Simultaneously they gasped in surprise.

Rapidly skimming through the headlines, Lily felt her heart sink. _Didn't Rose warn her not to delay? _The words and images on the front page testified to the magnitude of her failure to act quickly.

More slowly, her boss continued to read, his face inscrutable. Lily waited in bitter silence. Finally he lowered the paper and stared at her. In his hands was _The Daily Prophet_, the front page filled with a picture of a crying Marla Parkinson in front of St. Mungo's, and a stark headline in boldface type:

**Breaking! Famous Witch****'s ****Son Dead! Hidden Pregnancy Rocks Wizarding World! ****  
Says ****'It Was Supposed To Be A Surprise!'**

"Was this what you were going to tell me?"

"Uh, no, sir."

"I see." He was silent, then said: "Well, then, it seems we're behind the ball," he said, his voice sour with disappointment.


	4. Chapter 4 The Tragic Fate Of Avid

**Chapter 4 – ****The Tragic Fate Of Avid Parkinson**

* * *

Albertsworth had fallen silent, something of an unusual thing. Lily waited patiently, wondering if her new career as a reporter was about to end before it started. After a while, he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

"All right," he sighed. "We've been scooped." He opened his eyes, and forced a smile. "It won't be the first time in my—or your—career. We'll just have to do a better job on the followup."

"I'm sorry I didn't get the story," Lily said in a flat tone of voice.

He waved her off with a wave of his large hands. "Never mind that anymore. Just tell me what you know."

"Let's see." She told him about her unsuccessful trip to Parkinson's house, then going to St. Mungo's to investigate the rumors about her health.

"Find anything at the hospital?"

"Only that she had been there several times, but I couldn't learn much more than that." Given the circumstances, Lily did what she often did with her brothers and parents, and no doubt like they often did with her and each other: she only said the absolute minimum amount of truth necessary. _It's not yet the right time…_

"Okay, then, this is what you need to do now. This was only a prepared statement from the hospital," he said, pointing to the papers. "Your job now is to ask the right people the right questions, and get answers from them."

"What kind of questions?"

"Why did she hide her pregnancy; who the father was; did she take proper care of her child." Lily's eyes opened wide. "You never know what kind of parents people make just from the surface," he said roughly. His eyes then narrowed. "You're not afraid to ask the tough questions, are you, Potter?"

Rapidly regaining her composure, she shook her head emphatically. "If there is something the public needs to know about this tragedy, I'll find out what it is."

"Heh," he grunted. "Find out as much as you can, Miss Potter, and _I'll_ decide what the public needs to know from what you found. Is that clear?"

Although he was smiling, she could feel the coolness radiating from him. "Of course."

"Good. The press conference at noon. Get some answers."

"I'm on it."

* * *

There were dozens of reporters crowded near the entrance to St. Mungo's. Burly security guards were trying, without much success, to keep a path clear for patients, to the point that an occasional spark of a jinx flashed, forcing people to stand back. Lily was halfway to the back, straining to peer around some wizard who had decided to wear an old-fashioned pointed cap, which blocked her view.

The chatter quickly died down as Marla Parkinson, flanked by several Healers, came up to the podium. Clearing her throat, she took out a short roll of parchment and began to read: "Witches and wizards of the press, in this difficult time I appeal to your sense of discretion and propriety, and respectfully ask that you refrain from approaching me and other members of my family as we deal with this loss. We shall attempt to answer all your questions today, once and for all."

_And __say __nothing else after. _It was a tactic Lily and her family was well-versed in, and based on the indistinct murmurs passing through the assembled reporters, they were none too happy about it. _From this side of the mirror, I can see why. _Marla pointed her wand at the crowd; a reporter in the front shouted: "When did he die? And what was the cause of death?"

One of the Healers answered in response: "Miss Parkinson's son, Avid, was pronounced dead in the middle of the night yesterday. The cause of death was hypoanima." Several gasps broke out from the audience, but Lily had no idea what that meant. "For those who do not know, that means her baby was born without a soul," she continued, as others reacted in shock. "It's a very rare ailment, a very serious ailment, and when a hypoanimiac infant is born, they appear to be sleeping, but they can never awake, and they die three days after birth."

Despite the terrible import of those words, Lily kept her composure and continued to record her thoughts in her Codex. Another witch boldly asked: "Who was the father?" Now Lily gasped as well._ H__ow inappropriate!_

In a flat, unemotional tone, Marla Parkinson said, "My fiancée, Arkav Maroudy, is the father."

"Why were you hiding your pregnancy? Did you use Reduccio potion to hide it, and do you think it might have had anything to do with her death?"

Again Lily felt a surge of indignation, but upon thinking about it, she realized it was a legitimate question. "I did. I stopped using it several weeks ago, when I went into seclusion for—personal reasons." Parkinson turned away, as if to clear something from her eye.

"Let me add," another Healer said harshly, "that nothing she did had any effect on the development of her baby. This is one of those maladies that simply is part of the order of things."

The reporters all began shouting questions at once. Lily was one of them, and was surprised when she was permitted to speak. Clearing her throat, she said in a loud voice: "Is this condition contagious? Is there anything which the larger Wizarding community should be concerned about?"

The Chief Healer frowned and emphatically shook his head. "None whatsoever. This was a purely random event, and nothing could be done once the child was born."

Before she could pick another reporter, Lily held up her wand so as to continue speaking. "What about before? Did you do any tests?"

Out of the corner of her eye Lily thought she saw someone start on the stage. She could not tell who it was, as the Healer quickly answered: "Nothing was wrong—she was healthy, then this happened! Next!"

Some other reporters began asking about the family plans that she and her fiancée had, and her future involvement with the conjuredrama. Perfunctorily Lily listened and recorded, but she focused on processing the important stuff said. After a short while, Marla Parkinson suddenly turned and walked away, while the Healers quickly followed after.

* * *

"McQueen's got the Quaffle—he's dodging Beckman's Bludger, shoots—it's good!" There was a thunderous roar from the wireless box. "Falmouth goes up on Chudley 150-40!"

"McQueen's got a real gift for flying off-balance with the Quaff," came a familiar voice, "obviously it's an elementary skill, but you'd be surprised how few Chasers continue to develop that skill once they start in the professional leagues. He rotates 90 degrees while flying perpendicular to the Chudley Beaters, always keeping a low profile to make himself a difficult target, then flips over to take the shot. Jordan never knew from which direction McQueen would throw—excellent work!"

"Your Mum has a real gift for commentary," her dad said appreciatively. "Keeping after a Snitch is one thing, but being able to analyze the entire match while it happens—well, that's what made her so good."

"Too bad the Cannons can't hire her to train them up," Lily said, sitting down on a sofa across from her dad. The Chudley Cannons were absolutely terrible last year, ending the season with twenty straight losses, fifteen by a hundred points or more.

"—wait, Fenrick has the Snitch! It's over, Cannons win, 190-150!"

"Amazing, simply amazing! Look at that Death Dive, I've never seen a Seeker go headfirst into the pitch like that. But never mind his shattered broom, or his broken legs; and never mind that it doesn't even count! Tonight, the Cannons go home a winner!"

"For the Wizarding Wireless Network, I'm Samuel Thomas, with Ginny Potter. The final score: Cannons 190, Falmouth 150!"

The box went silent. Her dad was beaming: "Hopefully this year I won't have to listen to Ron moan and curse about the Cannons anymore. Who knows, maybe he'll finally get rid of that ridiculous tuft on his face!"

The reporter's candle lit up in her head. "Is that why he has a beard now?"

"Exactly right," her father said, his green eyes twinkling. "Thought it would bring them good luck, like when they won the English Cup eight years ago. As soon as they win a real match, no one will be happier than your aunt, let me tell you, she positively hates it when he isn't clean-shaven. She's probably shaving it off right now."

That was more than Lily wanted or needed to know about her aunt and uncle. "I don't know, I think it makes him look dignified," she said in jest, having been drawn into the spirit of the conversation.

He cast a wry look at her, and they both started laughing. Suddenly the door opened, and Ginny stepped in.

"Hello, Potter family," she said sleepily. "I'm touched, you didn't have to wait up."

"No one calls a better Quidditch match than you," Lily said enthusiastically.

"What she said," her dad said with a smile as Ginny bent over and kissed him.

"Alright, I'm going to bed. Good night Lily."

"Good night, Mum."

"I'll be up in a while," her dad said. Yawning in assent, Ginny went upstairs.

"You may not want to hear it again, but congratulations on writing your first article," Harry said.

"Thanks, Dad." Her smile faded. "Not exactly the most cheerful subject."

"Definitely not," he agreed.

"This morning, I remember being upset about being given what I thought was a… token assignment. This isn't what I had hoped for."

"Don't feel guilty about it. Things happen, and we just have to respond the best we can. You did great."

"Thanks." A silence fell between them. With a sigh, Lily finally broke it: "What a terrible way to lose your child," she said softly.

Her dad nodded silently, a taut grim look on his face. "Losing your soul… if there's something worse than death, that is it."

Topics like this…and others… her parents and adult relatives had gently but firmly steered conversation away from all her life. All those years she had often resented it, especially her dad's gentle rejoinder that, 'it's something you don't have to worry about until you're an adult.' Now, she _was_ an adult—at least, in more than merely chronological terms.

_Enjoy being a kid—it's__ not always so much fun being a grownup_ That bit of wisdom had come from her Uncle Ron. She had always resented it, but now…

"Do you know anything about this, hypoanima?"

He was silent, stroking his own light stubble. "There are several ways a wizard can lose his soul. By Dementors, and others. But to be born without one? No, I did not know that was possible."

She looked at him carefully—he had said nothing that she didn't already know from having researched the topic.

"Never ran across a case of it?"

Now he stared at her. He didn't seem angry, but he did seem hesitant. "In my time with the Ministry, the Auror Department has investigated a few deaths of wizard children. They were all tragic and depressing cases, but never unexplained. I'm no Healer, but I think you can be reasonably sure there's nothing suspicious about a death by hypoanima."

It was a rare thing when her dad talked in specifics about his work; he and Lily's other uncles and aunts were masters of obfuscation when it came to 'Wizard business', as Albus and James had scornfully labeled it. Lily was eager to take advantage of the opening, but before she could formulate a question in response, he said, "This is, of course, off the record." He smiled.

A brief anger flared up in her. "I hope you're not joking!"

"Definitely not. Like I said, the truth is very important." He looked very sincere.

Lily relaxed a little. "Well, I've been checking all day, and I've come to the same conclusion you did. It's such a rare, mysterious condition, and normally there's so much shame attached to it." A judgment she had made earlier in the day seemed appropriate, but she couldn't remember it. _What was it…Ah! _"I am really impressed that she came forward and disclosed it."

"So am I," her dad murmured. When she looked at him quizzically, he said: "Who knows, maybe this will spur efforts to understand it better, learn how to prevent it—since you can't cure it," he said with a grimace.

"I hope so too."

Harry got up and stretched his legs. "I'm so proud of you, Lily. I know you'll do great things as a reporter!"

His voice was so warm, so filled with empathy, it almost made her blush. "Thanks, Dad," she said as she slipped into his embrace. "I'll do my best."

"I know you will." He kissed her on the cheek, then pulled away. "Good night, Lily."

"Night, Dad." A few moments later, Lily herself was in bed.

Drifting into sleep, a strange, ineffable feeling persisted within. It took shape as a peculiar thought that accompanied Lily into her dreams:

_…__I am no longer the little witch I used to be…_

* * *

Seeing the byline, 'By Lily Potter', on the lead article in the morning edition of _Wizarding Weekly _made her feel immensely proud; this one time, she allowed herself to indulge in it. Alas, it only lasted the morning; after lunch, she was hard at work wrapping up her investigation of this story by covering the funeral of Marla Parkinson's son—a somber, quick affair, with surprisingly few members of the press or her family and friends in attendance.

Lily knew now that hypoanima was viewed as a cursed condition, that it would was considered horribly unlucky to be associated with an incident of it in any way, but she was still surprised that such beliefs would actually affect the behavior of so many witches and wizards. Nevertheless, she was in no mind to linger around once the ceremony was over.

Albertsworth was begrudging in his praise: "This is just the beginning, Potter, so keep on your toes." But Lily was keen to the value of actions over words, and he had given for her next assignment a part of the ongoing investigation of irregularities of contract between the Ministry and the Free Association of Goblins at Gringotts. _Of course, I __now have the pleasant__ task of interviewing the head of the Goblin's Association, and trying to investigate the goblins' side of the deals. _For a young witch like herself to probe into goblin affairs, even in the current era of improving Wizard-Goblin relations, was a delicate matter in the best of circumstances.

Albertsworth tried to reassure her: "You have an advantage, Lily: the Potter name goes far in goblin circles."

His words did much to negate the positive feelings she had developed towards him. "Well then, why don't I just ask my father to talk to them, he's got nothing better to do," she said acerbically.

To her mild surprise Albertsworth was apologetic. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be patronizing. I understand how you feel, but what I said was completely true, and there's no use in pretending otherwise. As you know, your father often negotiated with leaders of the goblin community on behalf of the Ministry. Those kinds of facts matter for goblins—it would be an insult not to acknowledge it."

In fact she did _not_ know that about her dad. _He's a complicated guy, even though he always pretends otherwise._ Lily did not want to belabor the point. "All right, what's the background?"

He scooped up a large number of scrolls and gave them to her. "Potter's daughter or not, you have to get familiar with goblin custom—it's not required, but that's because they implicitly think no wizard respects them anyway, so they assume the worst. Put your best foot forward, Lily, and you'll find they'll open a lot of doors."

"I'll be there to walk in," she said dryly. Burdened with the armfuls of scrolls, she left the office.

* * *

As dusk turned to evening, Lily fought the urge to doze off, a losing proposition when faced with thousands of inches of densely-scribbled parchment detailing every aspect of goblin custom for the past five hundred years. Almost everyone else had left for the night, leaving Lily to burn the candles. Such was her concentration that at first she didn't feel the tingle in her robe.

"What?" she said aloud, looking down at herself. As she began frisking, she felt the tingle again—and now all hint of lethargy vanished.

_Now? _Trembling, she reached into her right inner pocket. Pulling out an old Knut, some tiny letters appeared:

_**Alastor Field**__**  
right now**_

_She didn't say why._ But a message sent this way was a matter of blood—work would have to wait. Carefully she put all her work away, then drew her wand. Trying to keep her knees from shaking, she stepped outside. _Wait—not in the open._ Hurriedly she walked down Diagon Alley, looking for a deserted back-alley. Upon finding one, she wasted no time and Apparated away.

As she touched down, an arm reached out and grabbed her. Crying out, she twisted and tried to break free, but it was too late—they were Apparating away again, and then a second time if she wasn't mistaken. Moments later they both landed on solid ground.

Lily was dizzy and nauseous; she stumbled to the cold dark ground. Scrambling, she got up to her feet and pointed her wand.

"Don't worry, Lily, it's just me."

Lily's growing sense of panic vanished, replaced by a rapidly-growing exasperation and anger. "You'd better have a good explanation for this!" she said with barely-controlled fury.

"I do," Rose said. "Oh, I almost forgot! _Muffliato!_" Wand in hand, she raised it and pointed it to the sky; flashes of light erupted around them. When she was done, the scene was unnaturally quiet.

"Afraid someone will find out we're brewing love potions for Agnes O'Malley again?" Lily said sarcastically; post-Hogwarts, she knew that her cousin would not have used their special secret communications coin on a lark.

"I think we have much bigger problems than that," Rose said darkly.

Her anxiousness was infectious. "What's wrong?"

Rose seemed agitated, almost frantic. "It's all a lie! Everything!"

"What? You mean Parkinson?"

Rose shook her head frantically. "I think—I mean, I saw, I'm sure—" She was babbling.

Lily spoke forcefully" "Rose, calm down, and start from the beginning."

Rose nodded, took a deep breath, and said: "The easiest way to explain is this: Marla Parkinson's child did not die."

"What?" Thinking ahead, trying to stay on top of the situation, Lily had expected Rose to tell her that the death was due to foul play. She had not expected to hear this.

Rose was breathing rapidly, trying to calm herself down. As she became still, Lily's own anxiousness rose. Finally, Rose began to speak: "When I told you she was going to have a baby, what I meant to say was, that she was going to announce it to the world - her baby had already been born."

Lily was confused. "So what happened?"

"She's been in our hospital with her son for over a week. The hospital staff kept it very quiet, we did everything to treat him—"

Pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place in Lily's mind. Exictedly, she said: "That was your job, making that potion, right?"

"Right. But I never got a chance to see the boy myself. Anyway, not long after you left St. Mungo's, they told us he had died, that they were going to announce it tomorrow. I went back to my normal rounds, and deep in the night is when I saw him."

"What exactly did you see?"

"The hospital was almost deserted, I was in the basement getting some herbs, when I saw the Chief Healer with Parkinson, and an infant. I followed them outside, and watched them hand the infant to another wizard, who vanished."

Lily carefully considered her words. "Did they say anything?"

Rose nodded. "Outside, the Chief Healer said, 'I'm sorry we couldn't do anything to help your son.'" She paused. "He then said to Parkinson, 'Are you sure you want to do this?'"

"And Parkinson said yes?"

She nodded. "What was weird was, she didn't seem upset. If anything, I'd say she was… relieved."

"Relieved to give away her child?"

"I know, it's completely bizarre."

"You should go to the Ministry and report this—your mother could get the whole Magical Law Enforcement Department on this in an instant! Or if you don't want to blow the horn, I can tell my dad—"

"—The Ministry is involved."

Now Lily was shocked into silence. Rose continued: "Not long after the first wizard Disapparated away, another witch Apparated in. The Healer told her, 'everything is taken care of,' and the witch said, 'Good. The Ministry appreciates your discretion. We'll handle it from here."

"A coverup," Lily blurted out without thinking. "No, wait, maybe an investigation?"

"Maybe, but if they're willing to pretend a child died to cover the truth, I think it's wise we don't trust anyone."

"Not even our parents?"

"Not even them. You're my only hope, Ferret."

Rose's use of her Hogwarts nickname had a jolting effect. "Me? What can I do?"

"You're the reporter. It would be too dangerous for me to get involved any further. Only you can safely dig until the truth is revealed."

Lily trusted Rose implicitly, so she made a split decision—one she knew she would regret. "Where do I begin? Do you know the identity of anyone involved?"

Rose smiled wolfishly. "I have something much better—I can tell you how to find the child."

Lily was thunderstruck. "How can you do that?"

"By the Birth Trace. Healers place one on all infants that are born in St. Mungo's, so they cannot be switched by accident—or design. It identifies children even if they've been Transfigured or Polyjuice Potioned, and provides their location at all times."

"Surely they would have removed it before taking the infant away."

"They couldn't—once you end the Birth Trace the Birthing Registry officially records the infant's birth in the Wizard Census. That means Marla Parkinson knows where he is, but I'm guessing she doesn't care now."

"Did you put the Trace on?"

"No, another Healer did, who tipped me to it. He's even more scared than I am, so I convinced him I would take care of it and leave him anonymous." Rose began looking around. "I have to go soon. Here is the incantation for invoking the Trace." She handed her a scrap of parchment.

Lily nodded. "I'll get on it right away."

Rose looked at her cousin, then she backed away. "I can't get involved anymore. They might Obliviate me at any time." Lily started to protest, but Rose cut her off. "I trust you, Lily. Find the truth, and let the world know."

"I will. Thanks, again."

"Bye, Ferret." Rose Disapparated. The outside world began to leak in; in a moment, Lily would become visible, so she departed as well.

* * *

In a deserted field far from any wizard settlement, Lily looked at the complicated writings on the parchment, struggling to make the correct sound. When she felt confident, she raised her wand and said, "_Neonata Revelia._" A moment later, an image of a baby swarmed into her vision:

_…he was sleeping in a crib… in a dark house…on a deserted street…in a small town…385 Lourdon Circle, Eatonville…_

"A Muggle town?" Lily was disconcerted; this would complicate things. _The Statute of Wizard Secrecy forbids witches and wizards from performing magic in front of Muggles…_

"…but they can't see you performing magic in front of them if they can't see you in the first place," Lily said with a grin—a lifetime of growing up with her aunt had taught her a great deal about the law—and how to find loopholes. Carefully, she performed an Invisibility Spell on every part of her body, clothes and possessions. _If they see me at all, I won't have any excuse-it will be off to Eremos._ Satisfied, she Apparated to the town of Eatonville.

_What strange houses_, Lily mused. It was almost dawn, and after a bit of walking she had found the right one. "_Homunem revelio_," she said softly. _A man, a woman, and a child._ "Now what?"

Her choice was very difficult—it would be absolutely illegal for her to enter their house. But the Trace had worked; the child was inside. _Something very wrong is happening. _Were these Muggles involved in the wrongdoing at St. Mungo's?_ Sometimes we must do what we must, for the greater good. As long as you're willing to accept responsibility for your actions…_

_Pop!_ She had Apparated inside to the room where the baby was. Removing the Invisibility spell, she looked down at the tiny infant, swaddled in white cloth, lying in the crib. He was awake, and wheezing. Lily's heart warmed to him. _It can't hurt to make him feel a little more comfortable._ She took out her wand and pointed it at him. _"Enervate_," she said softly. There was a slight hum, but the baby continued to wheeze. _That should have worked…_

Lily bent down and examined him closely. Other than his small size and soft wheezing, he seemed alright. Daring, she reached over to touch him—he was very warm. She kept her hand on him, becoming more and more curious.

The baby started to cry. "Shhh, I'm sorry." Then she heard a door opening inside the house; a woman's voice said, "I'm coming Gabriel, don't cry, Mommy's coming."

_Time to leave._

* * *

Sitting in an open field outside of Eatonville, watching Muggles go to and fro, Lily was wracked with questions, but answers did not come.

_Why did Marla Parkinson abandon her son? _Surely not to avoid a scandalous birth; pretending that her child was dead, then giving him away—to Muggles, no less—with the help of St. Mungo's and the Ministry of Magic? _That's a dozen laws being broken right there._

There were other mysteries—what of the magical quill at Hogwarts, the one that recorded magical births? _Surely it would have revealed to the world Parkinson's child._ Maybe that's how the Ministry knew about it, but then why would they agree to help cover it up?

_Was there something wrong with the child?_ Lily didn't have much experience with infants, but there did not seem to be anything magically wrong with the child. _Wait, that's not quite right, there was something…odd, about Avid, or I guess, 'Gabriel' now. _It was an ineffable thing; if she had to put it into words, it was almost as if the baby wasn't entirely… real?

_You're making no sense_, she muttered to herself. Frustrated, Lily decided to start over from the beginning. Carefully checking to see that the area was empty, she opened her Codex and looked at all the information magically entered about Marla Parkinson. _She's a little older than I am, which might mean her parents…_

Lily looked at the information about her father—then changed her mind. _Her mother, Penseé Parkinson._ Reading her biography, she was not surprised to learn that her mother was a contemporary of her father at Hogwarts. _'Pansy' Parkinson in those days. _Lily rolled her eyes._ Let's see__—_Slytherin House, just like her husband, her daughter, and future son-in-law to be. Lily stared at a picture of Pansy with a coldish blonde boy. _Of course, just like Scorpius__—_this must be Draco Malfoy—

—a sudden burst of insight hit her. The more she thought about it, the more incredible the ramifications. Somehow, she knew she was right, but what it all meant—she had no idea.

_I'm going to need help. Right now._

As she gathered her things and prepared to go back to _The Wizarding Weekly_, Lily carefully considered how to phrase the question-the most important question she had ever asked in her entire life. Once she did so, she took out her Protean-Charmed coin and carefully marked it up:

___**Parkinson's son was born a Squib  
Was it natural, or otherwise?**_


	5. Chapter 5 Professor Longbottom

**Chapter 5**** – ****Professor ****Longbottom**

* * *

"Are you all right Lily?"

"Fine, I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"No need to snap, young lady," her Mum said with a note of petulance, "you just seem a little jittery."

Her laughter made everyone at the table stare at her. "Don't have a frog in your potion, do you, Lil'?" Albus asked solicitously.

The curious—and piercing—stares from everyone finally slapped some sense into Lily. "The reporter business is a lot more competitive than I expected," she said as she reached for a vial of goblin wine. "Considering I've been on the job less than a week, they expect a lot out of me." She took a long sip, and her head began to spin.

"Easy, Lily," her dad said. "That wine goes right to your head if you're not careful."

"Just the way I like it," Lily said boldly. Her words were so out of the ordinary, her parents and Albus spontaneously laughed out loud. To her relief, the tension melted away. Quickly eating, she asked to be excused.

"Going to go watch some television in your room?" her dad asked.

"Watch what?" Lily asked, confused.

He laughed. "Never mind, it's a Muggle thing."

Unable to come up with an intelligible response, Lily merely mumbled, "Uh, yeah." After kissing her mum goodbye, she went upstairs to her room.

* * *

'_A __Muggle__ thing'?_ It had been a long time—if ever—that she ever thought of her dad as being raised by Muggles. _What made him bring that out?_

Lily shrugged; it was just something that made her dad what he was, offering up random bits of wisdom at odd times, sometimes with little to nothing to do with the conversation during which he offered it.

The real reason she was in her room was the same it had been for the past few days: she was waiting for a response from Rose. But there was none. Some roundabout questioning of her various cousins revealed that Rose was working late at St. Mungo's every day, barely coming home at all. _They must be keeping track of her,_ Lily thought darkly. It was a paranoid suspicion, but these days it seemed more and more justified.

"Okay, we need a new plan," Lily said tiredly to herself. In her room, she was surrounded by stacks of books and scrolls about loss of magical powers, but magical theory was by no means her strongest subject. It was something of a surprise to find out very little was known about why magical parents occasionally gave birth to Squibs. _Indeed, it had hardly occurred to me at all __to wonder __why __some __peo__ple are born wizards, or __Muggles_

Perhaps she had overreacted. _These things just happen, and __only __Magic knows why. _Even purebloods must occasionally give birth to Squibs, just as wizards are occasionally born to Muggles, like her grandmother and namesake. Perhaps her suspicion that Avid Parkinson had been turned into a Squib by intentional action, was just that—wild speculation.

_But why would the Ministry conspire to hide the truth of a Squib being born to pureblood parents? _Suddenly it hit her like a thunderbolt:_ from what you saw at the hospital, Avid probably is not the only Squib born recently._

The implications of that made her head spin worse than the wine did. She had to consult experts, even though it might tip her hand. _Time to stir__ the cauldron__ and see what comes up!_

After reading some more, she finally went to bed.

* * *

The soaring towers and spires of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood before Lily in all their familiar stature. It was so strange—she had been out of school for only about a year, and yet it seemed like a lifetime ago now. _All through seventh year I couldn't wait to get out into the real world,_ she thought musingly. _Now I know, you have to b__e careful __of __what you wish for!_

It was a Saturday morning, which meant that there were relatively few students up and about. To her surprise and relief, as she walked through the front gate and onto the school grounds, almost no one paid her any attention—dressed in somber brown dressrobes, with a jaunty headscarf wrapped around her head, she looked very much the adult witch, standing out from the dark school-uniform robes the students were clothed in. She was the rare non-teacher adult intrusion into their little world.

Lily had more than a few friends and classmates still in school, but she didn't want to see them—it would distract from the very serious business she had to attend to. As she glanced at a group of students, she quickly looked away, recognizing her now-sixth year classmate Deron Wallsterville. Fortunately, there were no shouts of recognition following her.

She walked past the main building of the castle. The library was nearby, but that was not her destination—books alone would not help her. Instead, she walked around back and made her way to the main greenhouse. _Normally this is where he __is…_

Through the misted glass, Lily could see an indistinct figure working. Smiling, she went up to the door and knocked. "Come in," came a cheery voice from within.

She entered; the warm, humid air wafted across her face. A man in a beige workrobe wearing goggles and gloves was wrestling with some bubotuber roots. Smiling, she said: "May a former student have a moment of your time, Professor?"

The man removed his goggles. "Lily! Lily Potter!"

"Good morning, Professor Longbottom!"

"Please, Lily, no need for formalities." He hurried over to her. "I'd give you a hug, but I'm a bit messy." He brushed some dirt off his smock, then said: "How may I help you?"

"I have a Herbology question—I think."

"I'm good for Herbology; the 'I think' part, we'll see."

Lily laughed. "Well, now that I think about it, I think it's the 'I think' part." He laughed as well. "I'm working on a story about Squibs."

He was staring at her, an inquisitive look on his face. "That's an… interesting choice of story." He took off his gloves and sat down on a stool, giving her his undivided attention. "Do you know, growing up, my family used to think I was a Squib."

That surprised her. "You? But you're a—a great wizard!" She almost said _pureblood_, but caught herself in time.

He chuckled. "Not always." He did not elaborate, but was still smiling; Lily guessed he was reliving some memory of sort.

"Anyway, it's a plan for an ongoing series—'They Might Have Been Wizards'," she said, off the top of her head. "I'm trying to learn more about what causes someone to be a Squib."

Professor Longbottom wiped some sweat from his brow. "Let's go back to my office, we can talk more there." Taking off his robe, he put down his gloves and goggles and went to the door. Lily followed.

"I should say from the beginning, I'm probably not the best authority to ask about this subject," he said as they walked to his office. "This is a question of MetaMagic, which is not a subject taught here at Hogwarts."

"Over the years a few warlocks have looked into the subject, but they didn't seem to go very far," Lily said.

"The Ministry of Magic has probably looked into this subject, have you asked them?" He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Your aunt, Hermione, she probably could help you with this subject."

"The Ministry did not answer when I asked," Lily said. That was a lie; she had not gone to the Ministry at all.

Neville looked surprised—and wary. "I see." He stopped walking. "In that case, you will probably want to talk to Professor Zabini, the Potions Master, and Professor Adaman, the Dark Arts Defense teacher—"

"Why would I want to talk to Professor Adamant?" she interrupted, using the nickname all the students gave her.

Longbottom laughed, then stopped; he seemed at a loss for words. "I, well—okay, if you don't have time, maybe not Dara." They continued walking in silence. In his office, he took a seat and began sipping some tea from a magically-heated teapot on his desk.

"No thank you," Lily said as he proffered a cup. "I know sometimes wizards and witches are born Squibs. I'm trying to learn if it's something that people are born with, or if there are any outside factors that could cause Squibness."

He bit his lip in silent contemplation. "I see." Now he began to scrounge through the books on his shelf. "The easy answer is, it's something you're born with. There are a few rare herbs and natural agents that, if ingested, can temporarily cause a loss of magical ability." Reading a large, old tome, he began: "For example, the dischroma flower: if you ingest its seeds, it will destroy your color vision."

"Is that a loss of magical ability?"

"Well, I think colors are pretty magical, don't you?" He smiled, and Lily smiled weakly back. "In severe poisoning cases, it may be necessary to remove the victim's eyes and magically regrow them to cure." Lily opened her mouth, but did not say anything. "There are several other plants whose parts can cause the temporary suppression of particular magical abilities—I can write them down for you if you wish." She nodded. "Beyond that, I'm not sure—wait, I remember! From Advanced Dark Arts Defense training, required for faculty. The _Neutralizo_ Hex."

"What does it do?"

"It causes a wizard to temporarily forget how to use magic. It's rarely used, since it's very complicated to invoke, and only lasts for a few seconds. But as far as I know, that's the only way you can suppress the magical ability of a Witch."

"So nothing exists that can permanently destroy a Wizard's magical ability? Nothing that could turn them into a Squib?"

He was silent for a while, then nodded. "You're either a Wizard, or you're not," he said quietly. "That is a matter of Magic itself."

Lily nodded. Before she decided to leave, another question came to her: "What about the reverse? Is there anything that can make a Squib a Wizard again?"

"No. A Squib is another way to call someone a Muggle—non-magical means non-magical," he said sharply.

Lily didn't understand why he seemed angry; that was most unlike Professor Longbottom, who was among the most jovial and even-tempered man she knew. "All right, I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you Uncle Neville!" she said affectionately.

A warm smile broke out on his face. "Anything for you, Lily. Oh, wait a second." He waved his wand, and a bunch of writing appeared on a blank scroll. "For you. When you go home, please give my love to your parents!"

"I will. Good-bye!" She exited the office. Lily began walking down the halls, then stopped. _Should I see the Potions Master?_ She shook her head; the last thing she wanted to do on a beautiful Saturday afternoon was to pay a visit to the brilliant but unpleasant Professor Zabini, who for some reason seemed to have an ill-concealed dislike for herself and her brother Albus. _It's probably related to her father in some way._ She continued walking and went down the stairs to the first floor, on her way to the exits.

* * *

Unfortunately, instead of spending more time at Hogwarts on her off-day, Lily was back at her desk at _Wizarding__ Weekly_, reading the scroll that 'Uncle Neville' had given her. On it he had written several plants and herbs she had never heard of, along with their (mostly unpleasant) effects. Many of them didn't suppress magical ability as much as they created effects that could not be magically erased. _Remind me never to eat the Berry of Inertia, which makes you so heavy you cannot move, even with the aid of magic__, until it wears off_. But everything else confirmed what she had learned on her own: there was no way to make someone a Squib. In a way, that made sense: you could use magic to change someone's appearance, to alter their emotional state, or to heal their wounds. You could even use magic to kill someone. But there was no magic that could revive the dead, and no magic to create a Witch unnaturally, so it followed there was no way that you could use magic to undue a Witch's magical nature—not without killing them. _End of story._

Actually, not all was lost. She had convincing proof that the Ministry was acting improperly in the Parkinson affair, and that was certainly newsworthy. Although at an abstract level she could sympathize with the shame a pureblood couple might have with giving birth to a Squib, to give away such a child (to Muggles!) was repugnant, and for the Ministry to facilitate it even more so. Once she got the details right, she would make everyone involved regret ever violating the public trust.

Lily began working on her plan of attack for investigating the Ministry when she noticed out of the corner of her eye someone coming towards her. To her surprise, it was Albus.

"Albus, what are you doing here?"

"Mom and Dad sent me—they want you to come home with me right now."

She involuntarily shivered. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong—it's all right, in fact. Cousin Teddy's returned, and we're throwing a fete in his honor."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

"So are you coming, or do you have a story that will shake the world?"

She grinned. "Yes and no."

"Exactly. Let's go!"


	6. Chapter 6 Teddy's Tales

**Chapter 6 – Teddy's Tales**

* * *

As soon as they stepped outside the building, Albus took Lily's hand and they Disapparated. They reappeared in front of a large, glistening ziggurat—_The Warlock's Abode_, one of the newest and most popular eating establishments in Hogsmeade. There were almost no people entering or entering, most unusual for a Saturday night.

"We reserved the entire place for the evening," Albus explained, as they walked to the entrance.

"On such short notice?" Lily replied. "That would cost a goblin's weight in Galleons, unless—"

"—unless you're a Potter," Albus said, finishing her thought. No doubt reading the discomfited expression on her face, he continued: "Apparently the owner, a Mister Dean Thomas, is an old friend of Mum and Dad's, so he gave them a special discount."

"Still…"

"It's not like they're paying nothing. I bet it's at least a house-elf's weight!"

Lily could only roll her eyes in response. "I guess being a Potter only gets you so far these days," she said with her typically acerbic tone.

They entered into a misty, glittering circular lobby, mysterious harp music playing from all around. The mist resolved into a ghostly pointing finger, gesturing to their left.

"Thanks," Albus said. They walked through a veil, and entered a large banquet hall.

"Lily!"

"Albus!"

"Hello Potter and Weasley families!" Albus said, waving.

"Hi all," Lily said. Despite herself, she couldn't help feel a lump rise in her throat, as it was a rare moment these days for their entire extended family to be assembled at once. She saw her parents sitting at the far end of the table, waving at them. Her five uncles and aunt-in-laws, and their dozen-odd cousins were busy chatting with one another, while opposite from her parents, her maternal grandparents were sitting and beaming, no doubt enjoying the spectacle of having all their children and grandchildren (even a few great-grandchildren) assembled before them. Normally at a gathering like this they would be the center of attention, but not tonight; at the head of the table sat—

"Teddy! You old werewolf, how are ya?" Albus shouted.

"Still alive, still free, what more can I ask for?" He smoothly got up from the table and walked their way. Albus and Teddy traded faux punches as only guy friends could. Lily smiled and waited for the two to finish their ritual.

Teddy's hazel eyes focused on her. "Good to see you again, Lily."

"It's very good to see you, Teddy." Without hesitation Lily reached out and hugged him. She silently marveled at the hidden strength of his embrace—firm, but not at all uncomfortable.

Quickly he released her. "This is kind of embarrassing," he murmured. "You really didn't need to go to all this trouble."

"Nonsense, nothing's too good for our Teddy!" Albus said, slapping him across the back.

"I agree, it's been far too long," Lily said. Teddy seemed about to protest, but apparently let the point go.

"Never mind, let's sit down, dinner's on its way."

* * *

"…The fifth time I went back to the valley, I began to wonder if I was going crazy. I mean, I had dug around everywhere, cast every spell and charm in the book, and I didn't find anything. Every fiber of my being, every thought that came to my head, said the place was empty." Teddy paused. "It was then I realized that that was the secret. Care to guess what it was? Aunt Luna, you can't answer!"

At another table, Lily's middle-namesake merely smiled enigmatically and nodded. Her dad smiled and whispered something into her uncle Ron's ear. A look of revelation came across his face, and he said loudly: "Only someone who didn't want to have the treasure could find it?"

Teddy smiled and said: "That was what I thought, but it didn't work. Here's a hint." He took out a small bundle from his dark-green tunic and placed it on the table in front of him, unwrapping it. There was nothing inside.

More murmurs went around the table. Next to her uncle, Aunt Hermione said: "There was no treasure; you had to acknowledge that openly."

"Exactly! I said, 'There's nothing here, and I was a fool to think there was.' And at that moment, the water in the stream vanished, revealing a hole in the ground."

"What was in it?" asked James.

Teddy sighed. "The legends said there was a source of profound wisdom hidden in the valley's stream. And so there was: nothing." Mrs. Scamandar nodded silently.

Reacting to the puzzled looks, Lily's included, Teddy said in a wistful tone of voice: "When you have nothing, you tend to see much more clearly what you do have." He paused. "It was after I figured that out, that I decided to come home. Where my real treasure is." Ted gestured around, and sat down.

Lily resisted the urge to sniff. "And we're all glad you did," Andromeda Tonks said softly, affectionately brushing her grandson's long sandy-brown hair. He took her hand and smiled.

"Hear, hear," her dad said, rising to his feet and lifting up a goblet. "To Teddy Lupin, who returned to us tonight and made us all richer for it. To Teddy."

"To Teddy!" they all said in unison.

"Speech! Speech!" Uncle George and Albus were calling out.

Teddy had a twitching grin on his face. "Again, I want to thank you all for coming. I apologize to everyone—most of all, to Nana," he said, glancing down to his left. "Surrounded by you all, it almost seems selfish to have become a magical explorer. But it's not my fault, Aunt Luna bewitched me with her stories of Snorkacks!" Everyone laughed, even Mrs. Scamander.

Teddy paused, then spoke thoughtfully: "I had dreams of finding wonders such as Merlin's Tomb, but now I know what's most valuable in my life. What matters most in our lives are the people around us, our family and friends. Before the future comes, and the changes it will bring, I wanted to see you all again, just as you are today. Thank you." He sat down to thunderous applause.

The atmosphere was festive and relaxed as everyone was conversing with one another. At another table, Lily saw Rose eating quietly. They had shared furtive glances with each other all night long. This time, Rose fixed her gaze back at her. She got up and headed to the exit. Lily followed.

They were alone outside in the cool evening air. "Quite a party, eh ferret?"

"You might say that," Lily replied evenly, trying to hide her impatience.

Rose looked around. "I'm sorry for my silence, but they were keeping a close eye on us for a while."

"They?"

"You-know-who." Lily nodded. "Anyway, when I got your message, I looked into it."

"Hopefully you had better luck than I did," Lily said.

"Well, you're definitely onto something, that's for sure."

Eagerly, Lily asked: "Have you confirmed that any of the other cases are, shall we say, outbreaks of Squibness?"

Rose nodded. "At least one other. As for the others, I have no idea, but I'm willing to bet it's not just a coincidence." She paused. "However…"

"What?"

Rose bit her lip. "I'm pretty sure it must be some form of unknown illness. You cannot permanently deprive a wizard of their magical essence. Not without killing them."

Lily grinned. "Funny, that's what I decided as well. Professor Longbottom confirmed it."

Rose looked suspiciously at her, but said nothing. "What do we do now?"

"I'm not entirely sure." There was a noise nearby; they both started. Glancing around, Lily said very softly: "I will do some more investigating, and then I'll try to get a story out about the Ministry's coverup."

"What of the Squib angle?"

Lily marshaled her thoughts. "We need to stick to the facts. The Ministry lied to the public and aided and abetted hiding something that should not have been concealed in the first place. That's what I will report. If you can confirm anything new on the Squib angle, I will report that as well. But we stick to the truth, no speculation."

Rose nodded. "Sounds good." She hugged Lily and kissed her on the cheek. "Good luck!"

"You too." The two women rejoined the party.

* * *

Lily began losing track of time as she nursed her generously-large goblet of elf wine. Some of her relatives had already left, although she couldn't remember who. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Andromeda Tonks struggle slightly to get to her feet.

"I think it's time for an old witch to retire for the night," she said to her grandson, who was chatting with her parents.

"I'll help you home," Teddy said instantly.

"That's alright, I can manage on my own," she said with sudden energy in her voice. "Enjoy the company of your friends; you never know what you can learn from them."

"Good night, Mrs. Tonks," her mum and dad said solemnly.

"Good night, Harry." She slowly shuffled off to the exit. With some shame, Lily was relieved that Teddy's grandmother had not made her way towards her to say farewell; she always felt awkward in her presence, which was more than ridiculous, considering. _What have you lost in life?_

Teddy came over and sat down next to her. Smiling, she said: "Still enjoying yourself?"

"Yes, but if I stay any longer, I'll be ready to go off on another quest."

"I guess that's the thing about your family," Lily slurred, "no matter how great they are, there comes a point where you need a break from them."

Teddy smiled broadly. Lily wasn't sure if it wasn't her eyes playing tricks on her, but she would have sworn his incisors were sharply-pointed. "I'm touched you consider me part of your family," he said.

"You've always been part of our family," Lily said automatically.

"You're too kind." He took a sip from his goblet. "I hope the next time, I have better luck."

Lily blurted out: "What do you mean? Wisdom is not enough?" Teddy's smile instantly disappeared, which made her wince. _Damn elf__ wine! _"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

"That's okay," he said softly. His eyes seemed to be looking off at something elsewhere. "There are so many mysteries out there, and these days it seems like no one is interested in solving them. It's very frustrating."

"Some of us still are, Theodore," a lilting voice called out.

"'Theodore?'" Lily saw her godmother, Luna Lovegood-Scamandar, standing next to them. Still, she wasn't sure she heard right—was it the wine?

"Aunt Looney's nickname for me, Lily." Again, Lily doubted her hearing. _Looney? _"I call her my aunt because she's been a mentor to me in many ways, especially in searching for the truth."

"Don't be disappointed, Theodore, with what you didn't find," Luna said. "What matters is the journey, and what you learn about yourself along the way. And you don't need to run off the far corners of the world for this quest."

"In that case, my quest has just begun. Sometimes I think I don't know anything about myself." Teddy sounded depressed.

"You know more than you think you know," Luna assured him. "You do, too, goddaughter."

Lily was definitely confused by her words. _How did she know to make that comment about me? _Her mind was working slower than usual; she frantically tried to collect her wits. "Oh, yes, right, Mrs. Scamander—"

Luna laughed. "It's alright, Lily. I think I had too much to drink myself," she said. Lily was at a loss for words. _Just shut up before you spill everything!_

"Keep up the good work at _Wizarding__ Weekly,_ I can't wait to read more articles of yours. Never trust the Ministry, they're always hiding something. Your father knows this, just like mine."

_Is she a mind-reader?_ Lily could only ponder the mystery as Luna hugged her tightly. "And good night, Theodore, I need to get back to my boys. Thanks to your inspired words, I will tell them about my failure to find the Singing Nargles of Scylla. I was always sad I never heard their song, but now I realize they were telling me something anyway!"

"Good night, Aunt Looney." After she left, Teddy said: "Aunt Luna always knows what to say to make you feel better. Mostly because you never understand everything she says."

Both Lily and Teddy laughed. "I think it's time I turned in as well," Lily said sleepily. She got up and kissed Teddy on the cheek. "Before you go on your next adventure, be sure to let me know."

"I guarantee it."

* * *

Lily felt very peaceful and content tonight. She was pretty sure it had something to do with Teddy's return tonight; Lily could not remember the last family get-together where she felt so much closer with all her myriad family members. Ironically, because all of them were so often involved in each other's lives, saw each other so often and interacted nearly every day, often friction that might not have existed in smaller, less-connected families would pop up and (thankfully temporarily) strain relations between them. Nights like tonight reminded Lily of how often Teddy's good nature had served as a buffer between her and her brothers while growing up, and with her parents as well. That was by far the only thing he had contributed to their family while growing up; Lily was absolutely convinced her parents would have said nothing at all about their past history had it not been for the fact they felt some obligation to share that information with Teddy, who never knew his parents. It was a shame he had begun his wanderings a few years after graduating from Hogwarts; who knew what they would have let slip in front of him now that they were all coming of age.

Thinking ahead, Lily was feeling good about the future, even this whole tangled mess with the Ministry and recent Squib births. _It's all a misunderstanding, an overreaction to an unfortunate but natural series of events. Once I report the truth, everyone will be better off._

Yawning, she drifted off to sleep. _He really is handsome. It's a shame he's m__y brother. __And twelve years __old__er__…_

* * *

…Lily woke up, somewhat confused. _Bad dream?_ Far from it; in fact, she blushed at the memory of it. She was thirsty, so reluctantly she got out of bed. She had taken a few steps when she stopped: someone downstairs was already up.

Her mind finally clear of the wine, she quickly picked up her wand, crouched on the floor and tapped the floor with it. Sounds started leaking up:

_"__—did they explain what happened?"_

_"No, all they__ said was it was another attack."_

_"Are they okay?"_

_"I don't know, Draco__ is, but the rest of his family—"_

_"—I'm __scared,__ you're not going to do this alone, are you?"_

_"No, other __Aurors__ are already there. Don't worry, Ginny, we'll get to the bottom of this."_

_"I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

There was the sound of the door opening. Lily's knees were shaking. Growing up, Lily heard stories from Albus and James about incidents like this, where their dad had disappeared into the night on Ministry business. Once Albus had even followed him, which had provoked an angry response from their dad as awesome as it was unexpected. _Don't even think about it!_

But something was screaming inside Lily, telling her that her original fears were right after all, that something terrible was afoot in the Wizard world, and the Ministry—her father!—was hiding the truth. It made her ill with worry.

But she refused to give into fear. _The truth, always the truth!_

Lily wielded her wand; instantly she was clothed. Breathing deeply, she opened the window and leaped out into the cool night air.


	7. Chapter 7 Prisoner 86

**Chapter 7 – Prisoner #86**

* * *

As Lily plummeted to the ground below, she held her wand high and concentrated madly on the image of the Malfoy compound. The world twisted and spun about her as she Disapparated away.

Suddenly she was no longer falling; instead, she was standing in a dark wooded field. _Perfect landing!_ Although Albus had taught her Uncle George's secret of how to Apparate in midair, thereby bypassing the anti-Apparation charms placed around many Wizard dwellings, her brother had the unfortunate tendency to cut it too close, and thus crash land. A not so distant memory of his less-than-perfect arrival when they had snuck out once made her giggle; her parents were such cautious people, she often wondered where he got his reckless spirit from.

_To business, Lily._ Scorpius and his parents lived in this remote woodlet, far afield of most wizarding settlements, and she was quite certain that this isolation was no coincidence. _He never did like to talk about his parents or family,_ she remembered. _And no wonder… _Far in the distance, about a quarter-mile away, was their small, unassuming home.

Lily raised her wand over her head: "Invisio." Quietly, she crept forward, making as little noise as possible. As she approached the building, there were several figures she could make out silhouetted against the dark night sky. Their voices echoed towards her; indistinct at first, they became clearer, and agitated. Lily realized they were arguing heatedly with one another.

"—you know why we can't—"

"—Because you don't want to start a panic? You don't think we know what's going on—"

"—No one does, I told you. We have rumors, mysteries, but no facts, and without facts—"

"—Harry, what about the—"

"—I'll deal with it in a moment. Now, I promise you, Draco, we'll do everything we can—"

"—Which hasn't been much, has it? But it's no surprise; after all, how many in the Ministry aren't actually pleased about this state of affairs? 'Haven't yet gotten all they deserve,' I've heard—"

"—That's an outrageous accusation, Mister Malfoy—"

"—but not an entirely untrue one, I concede. Like I've told the others, you must understand; we can only solve this with verified information, not flights of speculation one way or the other—"

"—Dumbledore couldn't have said it better himself, 'Harry'. But without a long beard, I'm afraid they're not quite so convincing—"

"—Well, I'd grow one if I could, but no luck to date—"

"—Joke! You can stand there and joke? When Scorpius has been wounded, and Herpo—"

"—Excuse me, Draco. _Revelio!"_

Instantly there was a flash of light all around her, and Lily found herself being drawn in by an invisible force from out of the trees. In front of the Malfoy's home stood Scorpius' father, Draco, on one side, her father and two other Aurors on the other. Draco had a look of agitated fury on his face, while the others except her dad had a look of incredulous surprise; as for him, over his spectacles, he stared at her expectantly with his emerald-green eyes, a shy, twisted smile on his lips. It was that familiar, bemused look he so often had when one of them had challenged him on something, the one he wore before he decided to (ever so patiently!) correct them for their transgression. That he was so often right only made her and her brothers hate it even more. Acting out of instinct formed from a lifetime of family squabbles, Lily went on the offensive.

"On behalf of the Wizarding press, does the Ministry have any further details about this attack? Are there any connections between this and the Parkinson incident?"

"Who the devil told you that?" said one of the Aurors, a tall female who was probably twice as old as she was. "Sir, if you've been breaking confidentiality and speaking about this with your family, the Ministry will have no choice—"

"—I haven't said anything to them, although obviously I underestimated how little sleep my daughter requires," her dad said with a smile—a truly evil sight! "I'm afraid we cannot comment at this time, Miss Potter. We will make a formal statement when the time is right, so until then I will have to put a Confidentiality Charm on you. Oh, and tell your mother we need more churpa roots for the garden—"

"What happened to Scorpius?" _Herpo? Oh no!_ "And his son, did you check to make sure he's not a Squib—"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?" the other Auror screamed. He raised his wand—_Bang! _Lily found her mouth shut by an invisible force.

"Mandic!" There was another flash, and her mouth was freed. Her dad was holding his wand pointed at her. He was no longer smiling; instead, hi lips were tightly pursed with worry. _The situation must be very serious indeed._

Draco Malfoy was chuckling softly. "She seems to have inherited your refusal to trust authority."

Ignoring him, Harry said: "Your reporter's instincts are to be commended. And you've got a lot of the details right." The other Aurors began to protest, but he waved them off with his hand. "But not all of them—for some, none of us know the truth. And what we don't know is the most important thing, believe me." He paused, lost in intense thought. "I'll make a deal with you. You can print your story, provided I make sure what we both don't know doesn't mislead the public."

Lily did not hesitate. "Sorry, but this is too important to allow the Ministry to filter. You of all wizards should know that," she added, knowing this time that oft-used taunt would hit home.

"Sometimes the differences matter more than the similarities," he replied sharply. He fell silent, lost in thought, then said in a flat voice: "This is the only way. I don't say that often, so you'll have to trust me on this."

And he didn't; her dad often gave them a lot of leeway, but there was always a point where, once crossed, he would never back down. She nodded: "Alright, let's get this over with then."

The other Aurors looked very unhappy, while Malfoy's face wore a slight frown. "We can trust her," Harry said. They didn't look all that convinced, but said nothing in apparent assent. "When the investigation team arrives, brief them on all our findings. I will go back with Miss Potter here."

Lily suddenly realized the trap her father had sprung on her: there were still many questions to ask of the people here. "Wait, what about Scorpius? Can I speak to him—"

"—No, he's at St. Mungo's, being treated for injuries, and… other things," Harry said vaguely. Before Lily could followup, he stepped toward her. "Time to go home!" With that, he grabbed her arm and Disapparated away.

The last thing she remembered seeing was Draco Malfoy's face, and how unreadable it was.

* * *

Her mother was running out to greet them as soon as they arrived in front of their house. "Harry, is everything okay? You didn't—" She paused as she saw her standing with him. "Lily?" A second later, realizing the reason they were together, she exploded: "How dare you follow your father while he was on assignment! Don't you realize how dangerous that was, what a terribly stupid thing to do—"

"—It's alright, Ginny," Harry said soothingly, but for once his words had little effect.

"Don't you 'alright' me, after all you told me, how could you even think of letting her risk her life—"

"It was no risk," Lily said loudly, "by the time I got there it was over—"

"—You encouraged her! What have you been telling her behind my back?" For a second Lily thought she was going to jinx him!

"Nothing, nothing!" Her dad was suddenly flustered, which did not entirely break Lily's heart. Holding his ground against her mum's fierce gaze, he said in a stronger voice: "Lily did what any good reporter would do—she found a lead and followed it. And this was going to come out anyway, so the timing is fortuitous, or at least possibly so."

She glared their way, but did not say anything. Instead, she turned abruptly and walked in the house. Amusingly, they both sighed simultaneously.

"I'm sorry for making Mum mad at you," Lily finally said.

"Believe me, I've had worse." He sat down on the steps, and for the first time in a long time, he suddenly looked old and worn. "So tell me what you know."

Lily nodded. "Someone is attacking the newborn of purebloods, turning them into Squibs. It's been going on for some time, but in order to prevent a panic, the Ministry has tried to prevent information from becoming public." She paused. "Even to the point of declaring them dead, when instead they've been given up for adoption to…" She still could hardly believe it. "…Muggles."

Harry's eyes widened, but otherwise he did not react. Instead he said flatly, "I asked for what you knew, not what you suspected."

"But—"

"—Never mind, I was only joking." He began laughing ruefully. "'Never known kids like you who knew more than you oughta'," he said in a thick accent that reminded her of Hagrid. "I suppose I'm only getting what I deserve." His smile suddenly dropped. "You are correct in the essentials."

"How is it possible? Turning someone into a Squib?"

"I don't know—no one does. It is most alarming." He took out his wand and began idly tracing patterns in the dirt, which took unknown shapes and began performing strange movements. She had no idea why he was doing it. "That is the biggest mystery of all—well, besides who or what is responsible."

"So what does the Ministry know?"

He hesitated. "The Department of Healers has been tracking an unusual increase in Squib births starting about a year ago. Until recently it had not raised any suspicions. Then two months ago, a wizard named Roxley had claimed that some unknown figure had invaded his home while his wife was giving birth—a pureblood tradition, by the way. A few days later, his daughter was discovered to have been a Squib. He put her up for adoption straightaway and, to the best of my knowledge, hasn't spoken of her since."

Again a flare of anger arose in Lily, but she tamped it down. "Did you suspect a connection?"

"No, I thought it was a coincidence. Then a few weeks later another witch had given birth to a Squib. One of the other Aurors began to suspect something was up, and investigating the health records discovered the rise in Squib births." He sighed. "We had reason to suspect the numbers were larger, since disowning Squibs is an all-too-common occurrence, not just among purebloods."

"Was she a pureblood?"

"Not officially, but investigating her background revealed she was, and had hid her status because many of her family were Death Eaters. At that point, we became very worried that…someone was attacking purebloods and other sympathizers."

Lily's mind raced. "I remember reading about it in Magical History, how many of the purebloods were tried after The Second War ended (she managed to say it without flinching, which was rare), and others were subjected to vigilante attacks… afterwards."

"It was… a distressing time," her dad said darkly, then fell into silence. Lily eagerly hoped he would share some tales from those days, but he did not. "But all that died down many years ago—decades. Why is it starting up again now? And how are such terrible acts being done?" He flashed a smile. "Hopefully Neville will come up with some more ideas soon."

She nodded in understanding. "You asked Uncle Neville—err, Professor Longbottom, for his help. So you also knew I was on the trail."

"I knew you would be following after us as soon as you wrote the article on Parkinson. Though I did not expect you would find out so quickly." His voice had an interesting mix of pride and exasperation.

Lily nodded again. "So what can we report to the Wizarding community."

"My first instinct is to say—everything." Her mouth fell open in surprise, which made him chuckle. "You know very well my typical opinion of these things, but I'm sorry, Lily: in this case, this is too serious a matter for you to spread unconfirmed rumors."

Now Lily felt outraged. "How can you say that? If we told everyone, people could do something, like take precautions, or—"

"—we don't know what would be effective. Let me just say that if they could successfully attack the Malfoys, they could attack anyone." He sighed again. "Nor do we want to start a panic, and in truth, the less our suspect knows what we know, the more likely it is they'll make a mistake in the future."

It took a while for Lily to understand what he was saying, but when she did her anger was scarcely diminished. "So you want to keep using wizards as bait? In the hope that maybe you can catch him? How is that fair to the likely victims?"

"It's not, but it's our only alternative." He got up. "Lily, you may report the attack, that Malfoy's son and grandson were injured, but do not say anything about the details of the incident, or anything pertaining to Squibs or loss of magical ability."

She felt rebellious, but said: "Alright."

"Do I have your word?"

She snapped: "Of course you do—what, shall we make a Vow or something?" It was a terrible thing to say, but she could not take it back. _Temper, Lily, mind your temper!_

"There's no need for that, Lily," he said patiently. "I trust you implicitly to do the right thing." He yawned. "Okay, good night—or good morning, as it is. We should get a little sleep, it's going to be a busy day."

"Good night, Dad." Hesitating, she came over and kissed him. Smiling, he went inside.

* * *

Waving the newly-printed paper, Albertsworth beamed: "Brilliant, Potter! You've scooped everyone! I knew you could do it!"

"Thank you, sir," Lily said without much enthusiasm, but he ignored it. Instead, he almost seemed to do a jig as he skipped away, shouting for more prints and bellowing at other reporters to start pursuing leads.

Some of the other reporters flashed none-too-friendly looks at her. She knew exactly why: they believed it was only because her father was Harry Potter that she got the scoop. _And they're not entirely wrong._ But there was no use worrying about it now.

All about her, she could hear—or at least sense—the chatter of gossip as witches and wizards discussed what the incident meant. The Malfoys were a famous—or infamous, depending on your point of view—wizarding family. Some wondered if the unknown perpetrators were seeking vengeance against Lucius Malfoy. Others, to Lily's horror, were grumbling they should have finished the job. After hearing that, she quickly put up a _Silencio_ curtain around her desk.

Behind her wall of silence, Lily pondered what to do next. _Let the others deal with the Ministry coverup—that's not the real story._ Instead, she was going to pursue the issues which her dad had forbidden her to write about. _This time, rather than trying to be first, I want to make sure my analysis will be better than anyone else._ The trouble was, she didn't know how to pick up where she left off. _There's no way I could go to Rose now—it would be too obvious. And there's no doubt where 'Uncle Neville's' loyalties lie. _She sighed, and began consulting the directories to find a Potions Master who was not associated with the Ministry.

Her research was suddenly interrupted by a flutter of wings—an owl had landed on her desk.

"Thank you," she said, carefully giving it a five Knut-piece. The owl hooted and left the scroll on her desk. She unwrapped it:

_**Miss Potter, if you are willing please come to the highlands of Brodan Fields at sunset. There is much to discuss.  
Malfoy**_

* * *

Lily Apparated to a dark and desolate mountaintop. Thick clouds rolled overhead in the waning sunlight. All around her giant grey boulders were strewn about, thrusting brutally out from the brown dirt below. She had her wand out, trying to keep her hand from shaking.

Scorpius would never do anything bad, she was certain. _But how do you know it was Scorpius who sent it?_

Someone Apparated nearby; she whirled about, wand at the ready.

"It's okay, Lily, we're alone." But she realized they weren't; two people had Apparated in.

"Scorpius?" She squinted. "Mister Malfoy."

"Hello, Lily, I'm glad you came."

"How do I know you are who you say you are."

"A good question. Ask me something only Scorpius would know."

She thought quickly. "Alright, that Winter Ball in your sixth year, when we sneaked off to the third floor to snog, what was the color of the curtains in the hallway?"

Scorpius chuckled. "We didn't snog—when I suggested it, you threatened to put a Pimple Jinx on me."

Lily relaxed. "Are you alright, Scorpius? My dad said you were injured."

"I'm fine, they let me out of St. Mungo's this afternoon. But Herpo…" his voice trailed away.

"I'm so sorry. It's such a tragedy…"

"Indeed?" Lily inwardly cursed herself for blabbering.

"Miss Potter seems to know more about this than she lets on," Scorpius' father, Draco, said. "No doubt she gets it from her father."

"He didn't tell me anything I didn't already know," she said angrily, although it was not entirely true.

"I'm sorry, you misunderstood me; I was merely commenting that your father had a knack for learning things that others didn't want him to know. It was meant as a complement, actually," he said bemusedly.

"Oh."

"We don't have much time," Scorpius said urgently. "I assume the Ministry told you to keep quiet about the full truth."

"Obviously."

"In that case, I think you should know something. About what happened last night."

The hairs on Lily's arms stood up. "I'm listening."

Scorpius paused; he had a pained look on his face. He turned to his father, who nodded silently and put his hand on his shoulder. Relaxing a bit, he turned to face Lily and began to speak: "I thought I heard something downstairs. It wasn't our cat, who was in our bedroom. I was going to go back to sleep, because I knew it couldn't have been an intruder." He paused. "We have… considerable protective measures in our house. When I was growing up, on more than one occasion people have tried to attack us." Both Malfoys looked grim. "But it wasn't that, so I went back to sleep. But I thought I heard something again, so I got up, wand in hand to investigate."

He stopped talking; a silent wave of pain came across his face. Lily came over and took his hand sympathetically. "Go on, Scorpius. What happened."

When he spoke again Scorpius' voice was trembling. "I saw… I saw a flash of light from Herpo's bedroom. I ran in. It was suddenly dark, and I couldn't see well. There was a… a figure. I Stunned him, but it had no effect. It laughed, then it threw me across the room. By the time I got to my feet, it had vanished."

"Who was it? What did they look like?"

"It was… not a wizard."

"What do you mean?"

"It was about as tall as I was, but it had… large pointy ears, which stood out from its head. His skin was not like a person, it was brownish, kind of leathery. Its eyes were yellow, with slitted pupils—like a cat, actually."

Lily wracked her brains, but nothing came to mind. "Any idea what it could have been?"

Scorpius turned to his father. "I didn't see it, but from Scorpius' description, it might have been a Great Elf."

The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember what it was. "What's a Great Elf? Are they related to House Elves?"

"It's a long story, but that's not the important thing." Mister Malfoy came closer. "Whatever it was, it could do magic that no wizard could. How else could it have entered our home without triggering its magical defenses? How else could it have… harmed Herpo the way it did." Scorpius had another pained look on his face. "The Aurors didn't believe us, they said Great Elves were extinct, or mythical. They may even be right. But we're all in danger, I'm certain of it."

Lily steeled herself, then said: "You don't think it wanted to attack purebloods only?"

A brief look of fury emerged on Malfoy's face, but otherwise he did not react. "Perhaps. But there are many beings out there who hate all wizards, not just purebloods—"

"—mainly because of what purebloods think of them, and have done to them." Again Lily cursed her lack of tack. _But if anyone needs to hear that, it's a Malfoy!_

Malfoy remained calm, although he looked mad. "That may be true. But it's irrelevant. I think all wizards may be in danger. We have to do something."

"I agree, but what do you want of me? I was told not to report anything about the specific details."

"We don't want you to report this," Scorpius said. "We want you to go see my grandfather, and get his thoughts."

"If anyone knows about what happened to Herpo, he might," Draco said.

Lily shuddered. _Lucius Malfoy…_ "Why me?"

"We would be too suspicious," Draco replied.

"The press have been trying to talk to him all day, but he's refused them all." Scorpius paused. "I think if a Potter came to him, he might agree."

"Part of our two families' complicated history with each other," Draco said.

Lily felt cold anger at that. _Since when was trying to murder someone 'complicated history'?_ But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made: Scorpius' grandfather had tried to kill her father on more than one occasion. And while her father had dismissed his relationship with Draco Malfoy as being 'schooltime rivalry,' her mother and others had told her how much the two hated each other, and the harm they did to one another until finally, they had established a cold peace between themselves. And while Scorpius and her brothers were coolly hostile to one another at best, she had never had a problem with Scorpius (that sixth year excepted).

_From blood enemies to cautious friends in one generation. Who knows, maybe one day our children will be even closer than that. _

Assuming what they said was true, all wizards might indeed be in danger. "Very well, I will go to Eremos and try to get an audience with him."

"Good luck, Lily." He came towards her and held out his hand. She shook it without hesitation.

"My regards to your father," Draco said. Lily was so surprised she did not know what to say. Apparently understanding that, Draco smiled and stepped away. They Disapparated, leaving Lily alone in the night with her tortured thoughts.

* * *

Lily was standing on the shores of a great island, the constant roar of surf ebbing and flowing behind her. Ahead, cliffs rose gradually upwards to a great mesa high above. She sighed and began the long trek upwards—the western shore was the only place on the island one could Apparate to or from.

After what seemed like hours, she reached the top. A gigantic wall of smoky black stone was before her, curving off to her left and right, ringing the entire top of the mesa. This was the Fortress Eremos, and on the other side of these hundred-feet thick ramparts was The Wall-less Prison, built twenty four years ago after Azkaban and Nurmengard were torn down and destroyed, as much for symbolic reasons as for creating a secure facility to hold the followers of the Dark One.

With some trepidation Lily walked to the main gate, fifty feet high and sloping upwards. "Uh, hello?" she said weakly, not really meaning to be heard. Then there was an enormous grinding sound. She staggered back as the gate opened inward. They opened halfway when they stopped, and Lily willed herself inside.

Inside the main entrance there was a stone archway in front of her, about fifteen feet high and thirty feet across. She tried to look through it, but there was nothing but a distorted emptiness that she could not see past. With nothing but the gate behind her and stone walls to her sides, she walked through the gate. As she did so she felt a strange sensation, akin to Apparating as her body seemed to twist in different directions. It only lasted a moment, and she was now in a bustling atrium, with severe-looking witches and wizards walking about, along with a fair number of security trolls.

One of them called out: "State your name and business."

"I am Lily Potter, a reporter for _Wizarding Weekly_. I wish to speak with Lucius Malfoy."

The witch frowned. "He has refused all requests for a visit."

"Let him know who I am, and I believe he will agree."

The witch looked skeptical, but made a motion. The wizard next to him turned around and headed towards another stone archway, identical to the one she entered, at the far end of the atrium. He vanished inside.

"Wait here." She did, and a few minutes later he reemerged from the archway, nodding his head.

The witch said: "Give me your wand, and any other magical items in your possession." Lily did so. "When you finish speaking with the prisoner, you must agree to interrogation by Veritaserum."

"What?" Lily blurted out.

"It is a required security measure. We will only ask you about your conversations with the prisoner and whether he asked you to convey any messages to the outside. That is all. If there is any irregularity in our use of Veritaserum, you may directly appeal to the Director of Magical Law Enforcement."

_You'd better believe I'll sick Aunt Hermione on you!_ "I agree."

"Very well. Enter the gate and follow the signs for Prisoner #86. You will have sixty minutes—if you do not return after that time, we will send escorts to remove you. You may proceed." She gestured to the archway.

"Thanks." Trying not to hurry, she stepped through, again feeling that weird distortion. Once inside, she was amazed to see a completely empty vista—all she could see was the inside perimeter of the walls that surrounded the Fortress. On the ground before her were a series of round headstones, with numbers inscribed on them. She found one with #86, and stepped on it. All the other headstones disappeared; before her, a series of headstones, all with the number 86, led off into the distance. She began following the path the headstones made.

Occasionally Lily's curiosity prompted her to attempt walking down another path that did not have #86 on it, but inevitably she ran smack into a hard invisible wall. While walking to Malfoy's cell, she only saw one other person, a guard wizard who looked at her suspiciously and said nothing.

After walking for some time, the path of stones turned a corner and disappeared around an invisible wall. Turning the corner, Lily found herself standing before a small arch. There was no door; looking inside, she could see a large white room, with a bed on the far side. Lucius Malfoy was sitting on it. He wore a white robe, which matched his very pale and emaciated appearance. Long blond hair, streaked with white, flowed down from his head. His pale eyes, so much like Draco's, held her keenly. A cool smile was on his thin lips. Lily fought a wave of revulsion. _You must show no fear._

"Greetings, Miss Potter." He slowly rose from the bed and walked towards her. She fought the urge to back away. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Thank you for agreeing," she said too quickly. "I wish to ask you some questions."

"You may ask, but you may not like the answers." He turned and walked away.

"Wait." Reflexively she took a step forward. She put out her hand; it could not penetrate through the archway.

Lucius chuckled. "As you are no doubt aware, nothing living can pass either way through the arch. Which is fortunate for you." He turned to face her. "Were you to come inside, the consequences could be… severe." He laughed.

She ignored his taunt. "Do you know what happened to your family?"

"I know nothing except what my captors deign to share."

"Someone attacked your grandson. His child was injured."

"Who was responsible?"

"We don't know."

He didn't say anything at first. Then, a terrible smile came to his face. "Of course. It's better that way."

"What do you mean?"

"So many of the Ministry despise the pureblooded. Our existence is an insult to them. But they are too cowardly to admit it. Far better, to eliminate us in silence, one by one. It may take a long time, but eventually we will be extinct, and the Mudbloods will rule forever."

"That's not true, the Ministry is trying to stop these attacks—"

"Ah, so there have been more than one, has there? I congratulate you, Miss Potter. Your father is a worthy foe. The purebloods underestimated him, and now he has his final revenge."

She tried to ignore his taunts. "Mister Malfoy, your great-grandson was attacked by a Great Elf, not by wizards."

He did not respond at first. "Great Elves have not existed for thousands of years. You are mistaken, child."

"Scorpius himself said it. Do you doubt your own grandson's words?"

"Even the pureblood can be misled." He paused. "Although if it is true…" He turned away from her, lost in thought.

"What, Mister Malfoy?"

Malfoy held up a hand and closed his eyes. He then said: "The symbolism is perfect. The only creatures to be more favored by Magic than the pureblood of wizards, they have returned to punish us. We have proved ourselves unworthy. Because we failed to subjugate the lowblood, we have failed to live up to our blood status. It is a bitter reality to accept."

The sheer offensiveness of his beliefs, his obsession with pure-bloodnesses, was like nothing she had ever encountered before. Her instinct was to lash out at his bigotry, to rail against the evil of his beliefs, and the horrors they had justified. But that would get her nowhere. Somehow, she had to reach out to him, despicable though he was.

In an incongruously innocent tone of voice, Lily asked: "Mister Malfoy, why does being a pureblood matter so much?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Why does it matter? Isn't it obvious?"

"I'm afraid not."

He looked at her with cool eyes. "Hmm. Since you are of purer blood than most, I am surprised you do not know." It took all of her willpower not to explode at that remark. "It is simple, really. Magic flows from blood. Without magical blood, we are nothing but the lowest of the low—Muggles and other foul creatures. The purer the blood, the closer we are to Magic."

"But all wizards and witches are magical. Surely all our blood is the same?"

"It is _not_ the same!" he said sharply. "The purer the blood, the more magical we are! Magic is might!"

Lily could not resist. "My half-blood father must be the mightiest of all, then. After all, he did kill your pureblood—excuse me, _Mudblood_—Lord Voldemort!"

Lucius roared and rushed the screen. Lily stepped back; as he touched it, he bounced off it, tumbling to the floor.

"Magic has forsaken us," Lucius murmured over and over again. "The pure blood of Wizards has become nothing. Nothing."

"Mister Malfoy? Lucius?" she said gently, crouching by the screen. "Nothing is more important than protecting the blood of wizardry—all wizards. It is under attack. I need your help."

He did not respond. "Whoever attacked Herpo turned him into a Squib. It destroyed his wizard blood. Do you know anything about what happened to him that might help us?"

Lucius turned towards her, a look of disgust on his face. "So be it, Potter. We are not worthy of the blood status we've been given by Magic. We may as well be Muggles."

"Mister Malfoy, I know you don't believe that." She breathed deeply. "We must save precious wizard blood before it is destroyed by this new enemy. Please, answer my question: do you know anything or not?"

He was silent for a long time. Lily looked at her non-magical pocketwatch; time was running out. He was still silent. "Mister Malfoy?"

He scratched his chin. "Your father did not set store on the value of magical blood, but you seem to be different. Perhaps there is hope for us yet." He got up to his feet.

"One last time. Can you help us?"

Lucius began to pace. "Blood is such a precious thing, Miss Potter. It is the source of life, the source of magic." He looked at her. "It tells us of our past, and holds promise for our future." He came very close to the gateway, and exposed his left arm. To her shock and horror, he clawed at it with his right hand, causing blood to flow down. She leaped back.

Grimacing, he continued: "Blood has a story to tell us, Lily. It is a pity we do not always listen. We must listen to our blood."

Lily fought back bile; she almost vomited as it became clear to her what he was trying to do—and what she had to do. She exposed her left hand, and used her fingernail to cut her finger. Blood trickled out.

Smiling, Lucius let his blood pool in his hands, then flung it at the gateway. A few drops of blood fluttered through the magical barrier, and she caught it with her hand. She smeared some of his blood with her own.

Lucius got up. In a loud, solemn tone of voice, he said: "Miss Potter, I have no knowledge of anything related to the attacks on my grandson. I hope the Ministry spares no effort in tracking down the perpetrators. That is all."

Lily nodded, burning his words into her memory. "Thank you, Mister Malfoy. Good day." She ran back along the pathway, hurrying to the exit.


	8. Chapter 8 Nihilo's Manifesto

**Chapter 8 – Nihilo's Manifesto**

* * *

"Are you ready, Miss Potter?"

"Yes."

"Please drink this." The wizard handed her a goblet filled with a clear liquid that shimmered with some inner turmoil. Trembling, Lily took the goblet and drank. Instantly the world seemed to shrink. Everything seemed to vanish from sight, from thought—the past, the present, the future, all concerns had vanished from her mind. All that existed was the wizards in front of her—it was impossible to look at, or even think of, anything else.

"What is your name?"

A burning desire to say her name bubbled up within her chest. Vaguely remembering why she was here, Lily tried to say something else. _Rose always called me 'Ferrett' because of my dogged desire to learn the truth, whether it be in Charms or the latest gossip… Why not say?_

As she contemplated saying something else, part of her mind began to rebel against her—each thought weighing down on her more and more:

…_BUT…_  
…_YOUR…_  
…_NAME…_  
…_IS…_  
…_NOT…_  
…_FERRET…_  
…_IT…_  
…_IS…_

Finally the truth was too great to resist. "Lily Luna Potter," she breathed. The tension within her finally disappeared.

"Is that who you really are?"

"Yes."

"What did you converse with Malfoy about?" _Can I say? But I don't want to say! But…_

…_YOU…_  
…_MUST…_  
…_SAY…_  
…_WHAT…_  
…_YOU…_  
…_TALKED…_  
…_ABOUT…_

"I told him about the attack on his family… and… I asked if he knew anything about it?"

"What did he say in response?" _He said he didn't know anything, right? Quickly, say it—_

"—he has no idea who might have been responsible," Lily said breathlessly. She added: "His exact words were, 'Miss Potter, I have no knowledge of anything related to the attacks on my grandson. I hope the Ministry spares no effort in tracking down the perpetrators. That is all.'"

"Did he give you any information, any message to convey to others?" _He gave me his _blood_, for whatever reason. Was that information?_

…_HE…_  
…_GAVE…No!_

"No information, no message to convey to others," she said, trying hard not to grit her teeth.

…_HE…_  
…_GAVE…  
__…_YOU_…_  
_…_HIS_…  
__…_BL_…_  


"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes!" The fever was burning fiercely within now.

___…_ARE…  
_…_YOU…  
_…_REALLY…

—The interrogating wizard still looked skeptical, but his aide quickly came to his side and whispered in his ear. Blanching, he sighed and said, "Very well, Miss Potter." He pushed a goblet towards her. "Drink this."

Hurriedly she took the goblet and gulped. Immediately the world seemed to expand beyond her inquisitor; the effects of the Veritaserum had dissipated.

"Thank you for your cooperation. My aide will show you the exit."

"Thank you." She left as quickly as she could.

* * *

It was getting dark, but Lily had no intention of returning to see her family—or anyone else, for that matter. Alone in a deserted field, she was still fighting off waves of nausea and self-loathing she had endured for the entire day.

…_Blood—_his_ blood, the blood of a _murderer_—is flowing in _my_ veins! Mine! What does that make me? It makes me one of _them_!_ The hideous thoughts had flowed through her mind the moment she left Eremos, overwhelming all rational response. Still, she tried…

…_But I don't feel any different; and blood is just that, blood. It may be a source of life and of magic, but it doesn't define our personality, or our choices in life—the things that really matter. Aunt Hermionie would be ashamed at your giving in to such superstition; that kind of thinking is exactly what our families fought and defeated so long ago. Now, you'll give in to it just because a few drops of Malfoy blood is running in your veins?_

Lily sighed and closed her eyes, fighting back tears of frustration. The powerful thoughts clashed in her head, seducing her with their force, but leaving her without resolution. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. Leaping to her feet, she screamed with all her remaining strength: "I am more than my blood!"

She collapsed to the ground. Suddenly, all her agonizing seemed pointless. _It only took you half a day to figure that out—good job!_ Lily started to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "It's only blood," she said with a chuckle. From within a new burst of energy filled her; she got to her feet.

"I have Malfoy's blood in my veins," Lily said to herself. "How does that help me?" Lucius Malfoy was a powerful wizard, but she felt no difference. Thinking over his words, she began thinking about all the events that had happened to date. They replayed in her mind, but no new insight came to her, no transferred memories that she thought might have been in her blood. _He wouldn't have given me his blood for no reason._ There was only one last possibility. Twirling in place, she Apparated away.

* * *

Draco Malfoy's mouth fell open in astonishment. "Say that again?"

"Your father gave me his blood." He said nothing in response, still dumbfounded. "There's a message he wanted to send, but I don't know what it is. Can you help me?"

Draco was silent and unreadable, but clearly engaged in furious thought. They were alone in the not-too-large living room of his home, the nighttime starts twinkling through the windows. Lily waited patiently. Finally, he nodded.

"I think I know what he wanted to do." He paused, looking agitated now. "As you may know, I was once… part of the… Death Eaters."

The very words made her blood boil, but Lily merely nodded tightly. He continued: "…I… wasn't told many of their secrets, but… I did learn some from my father." He got up. "Come with me."

Lily got up and followed Draco as he went to a door on the other side of the house. Before opening it, he said: "Miss Potter, do I have your word that what you will see is something that will be kept in confidence? That you will not tell the Ministry about?"

Lily hesitated. "It… may depend on what I see." Draco's eyes narrowed. "Does it involve any unreported crimes, or other stolen artifacts? If so, I may not be able to." Now Lily felt nervous at what might happen next.

Draco's eyes narrowed even further, then he nodded. "Fair enough. I'll explain if you have any questions." He took out his wand and waved it; the door opened. They stepped inside, where there was a stairwell. Going down, there was a small basement, with nothing but a stone bowl. Draco pocketed his wand, took out a small knife, and before Lily could react slit his finger.

Drops of his blood dribbled into the bowl, and one of the walls vanished. They stepped inside, where there was a considerable amount of gold and other treasures.

"The Ministry confiscated a great deal of our family's wealth after the end of the war, but most of our original holdings we managed to save. Will you report this?"

The Punishment Statutes were still in effect, so technically Lily had a duty to report this, but something about digging up old roots when there were so many pressing problems repelled her. _The past is, let it be. It's the present we must deal with, and the future we must consider._ "I will not."

Draco actually showed a small smile. "Come with me," he said, as they disappeared into the mounds of family treasure. They stopped in front of what appeared to be a Pensieve. Draco gestured at it.

"This is a Blood Pensieve. My father said it was something the Dark Lord himself created." Lily shivered. "After drinking a certain potion, a person can store their memories inside their blood, safe from any other magical extraction. They can only be read by shedding one's blood into this Pensieve. I am certain my father gave you his blood so that you could read whatever thoughts he may have that are related to this situation."

"I see," Lily said, both revolted and fascinated by the magical item before her. Suddenly a troubling thought occurred to her: "Wait, if you could hide your memories in your blood, how do we know you and the other surviving Death Eaters haven't concealed additional information of your crimes?"

Draco grimaced. "A fair question. All I can say is, between the Ministry's investigations after the war and the testimony of other Death Eaters, I believe most of our activities have been documented."

"But you don't know for sure."

"I don't," he conceded. "But you should give credit to your father and his colleagues—they were quite thorough in their inquiries. Anything we did, almost certainly was corroborated by other evidence."

Lily didn't like this, not one bit. "Once this is over, I think the Ministry will have to be informed. But I give you my word that I won't do so until we stop these attacks."

"Fair enough." Slowly he removed his knife and offered it to Lily. She demurred. "No thank you, I'll do it myself." She took out her wand and, with great concentration, passed it quickly over her left index finger. Lily winced as a bright red gash appeared. She shook her hand over the Pensieve and a few drops fell in. A boiling red cloud rose from the bowl, filled with indistinct shapes and forms. She wondered whether her own blood in addition to Lucius' would cause a problem.

For a few more minutes the cloud continued to fluctuate, then it suddenly cleared; images were appearing. She and Draco both took out their wands and prodded the cloud; they were swallowed up by the memory.

* * *

_They were in a dark, winding stairwell, going down. Two figures using their wands for lighting were ahead of them. One of them Lily recognized as a very young Lucius Malfoy, perhaps only a few years older than she was. At the bottom was a large wooden door, which the other person, a shabby, indistinct man, opened with his wand. Inside were shelves filled with books and parchment._

_The other man went in, and Lucius followed him. He stopped before a shelf, browsed through it, then removed a very ancient scroll. "This is it," he said in a raspy voice._

"_Are you sure?" Lucius said coldly._

"_Look at the mark, it's legitimate!" He pointed at the seal, which consisted of a circle with seven serpents, each a different color, spiraling out from the center, creating a pinwheel pattern. _

_Lucius took the scroll and examined it carefully. Finally he nodded. "Very well, Rhikov. You have done well. My master will reward you for this service…if the information is reliable."_

_Rhikov looked scared. "And if not?" Lucius merely smiled, a chilling visage._

"_Good day, my dear Instructor." They walked back up the stairwell, out into a dark forest. The other man quickly walked away towards some indistinct lights far off. Lucius waited until he was out of view, then carefully removed the seal and unwound the scroll. Lily peered at the writing, but it was incomprehensible. She noticed his eyes going wide. Quickly he rolled the scroll back up, his hands actually trembling. He reattached the seal, then swore and took it off, reapplying it again using his wand. Breathing heavily, he smoothed out his long blond hair and disappeared…_

* * *

…The memory over, Lily and Draco found themselves back in the chamber. Lily spoke first: "Did you recognize the writing on the scroll?" Draco shook his head. "Was it some kind of secret magical information? Something that the Great Elves left behind, and the Dark One learned about?"

"I don't know, but it appears my father did know something about this," Draco said thoughtfully.

"Alright, in that case I better go." They slowly made their way back upstairs.

"Now that you have seen the memory, you should be able to retrieve and…present it in a normal Pensieve," Draco said. Lilly nodded; he was hoping she would not tell anyone else of the Blood Pensieve. "I hope this will help Herpo and the others."

"I hope so too." She offered her hand; he took it.

"Good luck, Lily Potter."

"May Magic protect your family Mister Malfoy." They released, and she Disapparated away.

* * *

Lily felt much refreshed after going home, eating a late-night supper (prepared with no questions asked by James), and a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, that refreshment did not provide her with any additional insight into that memory from Lucius Malfoy. _No doubt in his long history as a Death Eater he engaged in innumerable secret dealings on behalf of the Dark One. This was one of them, but what was it about?_

Lilly began jotting notes down in her codex. The name 'Rhikov' was the first place to start. From memory she tried to draw the seal, but all she remembered was the circle and seven serpents. And the writing had disappeared from active memory entirely; she would need the service of a Pensieve to retrieve it. _Not too many available for general use; they have one at Hogwarts, some at the Ministry, but trying to use it might raise unwanted questions. Perhaps—_

—it was at that moment she felt it. Not so much a physical manifestation, but something less tangible; a magical disturbance? Lily looked around; none of the other wizards seemed to have noticed. She was about to go back to her work, when out of the corner of her eye she noticed Oodai, the _Weekly's_ house-elf, had stopped in his tracks and was shuddering.

Curious, she got up from her desk and went to him. The little house-elf had dropped the stack of scrolls he was carrying down to printing and had curled up in a ball on the floor. Other wizards and witches noticed and made their way towards him, but Lily got there first.

"Oodai, are you okay?" she asked gently. She reached for his hand, and he flinched.

"Oh, Miss Potter, something terrible has happened! It was Magic not Magic, terrible, terrible!" he squealed. "Protect poor Oodai, please, oh daughter of the great Harry Potter! Protect me, please!"

Lily herself flinched at his strange words: _magic not magic._ The more she reflected on them, the more fear rose within. _Could this have something to do with—_

—Suddenly there was loud shouting in the lobby. Lily and everyone else jerked their heads towards it. Halinn, another staff reporter, had just Apparated inside—something of a breach of protocol—and was yelling:

"Attack! In front of the Ministry, monstrous image making demands, many wizards hurt! You gotta come, gotta see! Hurry!" Before anyone could respond, he had Disapparated.

Leaping to her feet, Lily joined the crowds rushing to the exit. Apparating straightway to the atrium in front of the Ministry of Magic, she found herself in a crush of wizards. Lily hardly noticed, because not far from where she was, a gigantic head, at least thirty feet across, hovered ten feet over the ground. It was elf-like, with brown leathery skin and large floppy ears, but that was the end of the similarities. Great yellow eyes, with vertical pupils stared out; the mouth was full of sharp teeth. It had a wicked, knowing look. Suddenly a booming noise echoed across the square:

* * *

**Hear **_**now**_** the words of Nihilo, the words of reckoning…  
**

**Three ten years ago the Dark One rose  
Two ten and nine years ago the Dark One fell  
From the pure blood of Wizards the Dark One rose  
The pure blood of Wizards still flows today  
The blood of the Fallen Ones cries out at this injustice  
**

**Yesterday's evil wages must be repaid  
Gather up all Witches Wizards pure of blood  
Mark down their number and all roots of their stump  
Strike them all down let their blood seep below  
Only **_**then**_** will the Fallen Ones cries be sated  
**

**One week you have to settle all accounts of blood****  
Heed Nihilo's warnings or face my utter wrath  
Magic is a gift you no longer shall deserve  
No longer with the gift you no longer shall receive  
From Magic all you came, but as Dust you shall return  
**

**Hear **_**now**_** the words of Nihilo, the words of reckoning…**

* * *

Those awful words, terrifying and incomprehensible, continued to echo everywhere. Ministry Wizards were shooting various magical termination spells at the giant head, to no effect. Lily made her way as close as she could to the giant apparition. Directly beneath it, several witches and wizards were lying on the ground, with others tending to them. One of them was wildly waiving his wand around, but nothing was happening.

"It's not working! I can't use magic anymore! Help, help me!"

A Ministry witch pointed her wand upwards and shouted: "_Morsemorde terminus!_" Abruptly the giant elf-head disappeared. An unearthly silence echoed through the plaza, as if everyone was afraid to speak what was on their mind. Security Wizards began ordering people to disperse, while more and more Ministry officials appeared, chattering anxiously among them. In the distance, Lily saw her father, walking rapidly and yelling directions, emphasizing his points with jabs of his wand. All thought of proud independence vanished from her mind; she cried out and ran toward him.

He was shocked to see her, but instantly ran in her direction, pushing wizards aside to get to her. "Lily! Are you alright? Are you safe?" He grabbed her and held her with a fierce embrace as crushing as it was welcome.

"I'm okay," she said, eyes moist.

"We didn't act fast enough," he whispered, ignoring the cacophony of activity around them. "We had the signs, but we were too slow. I only hope it's not too late."

Lily said nothing, merely nodding against his chest. _Magic help us!_ This was far beyond even her darkest imaginings of what was transpiring. It was so horrifying, Lily half-wanted to do what Oodai did: curl up in a ball and just shut down, completely. But she knew that would only ensure everyone ended up like Avid Parkinson, or Herpo, or those poor witches and wizards in front of her.

Gently he released her. "I have to go, this is just the beginning." He paused, giving her a searching look. "Any leads on your part?"

Lily was startled to hear him ask for her input. Stammering, she said: "I— I think I might, I need to start checking."

He nodded once. "Go for it, if you need any help from us, just ask. I have to go, keep alert and be careful. I love you!"

"I love you too, Dad." He vanished into the crowds. Thinking back to what she was working on before this happened, Lily had an idea for where to go next. But this was the story of the hour: before doing so, she had to get a measure of the Ministry's response. _Darn it, I let Dad go without a comment on the record! _Smiling despite herself, Lily slowly pushed her way through the crowds towards the Ministry of Magic.


	9. Chapter 9 The Tale of Damath

**Chapter 9 – The Tale of Damath**

* * *

Long before Lily reached the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, a throbbing mass of witches and wizards slowed her approach. All around her, angry and frightened voices chattered, blending into a shaking murmur of crowds. She made the best progress she could, slipping and twisting through tiny spaces, inching forward. Finally, she could advance no further. Standing on her tiptoes, Lily could see in the distance figures assembling outside the entrance, but she was too far to hear or see clearly. Standing down, she raised her wand, pointing it in their direction. In her ear, a voice came through loud and clear:

"—of the wizarding community, I want to reassure you that everything is being done to stop these attacks." It was the aged but still impressively strong voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt, the legendary Minister of Magic who had commanded the undivided respect and loyalty of the wizard world for decades.

But no longer, it seemed: "Rubbish!" "You're lying!" "Coverup!" The harsh tones echoed through the square, along with vast mutterings of agreement.

Shacklebolt was not cowed. "We are taking every step needed to secure the people," he said forcefully to the crowd. "As I speak, the Aurors are investigating—"

"—give them the Death Eaters!" a loud voice cried. Anguished shouts of agreement followed: "Yes! Yes! Death to the Death Eaters!" Around her, people became more and more agitated. Lily experienced an involuntary shiver.

Now the Minister sounded positively angry. "We will _not_ give in to terror and threats!" His words were said with such force Lily could feel them thunder through her even from this distance. "The Condemned will pay the price we as a society have justly imposed, no more and no less."

"But they haven't paid with their lives!" another voice shouted.

"Those of you who would blame wizards on the basis of their blood," Shacklebolt replied in a cold voice, "follow the same path the Dark One. Those of you who think that way should be ashamed."

Those words momentarily quieted the crowd, but soon after another person, close enough that she could hear him without her wand, yelled: "It's the half-breeds who are attacking wizards! They won't stop at purebloods, they'll destroy us all for revenge! We must strike back!"

Angry shouts in what Lily recognized as Goblin tongue responded. Peering up, members of the crowd suddenly moved in violent agitation; there were actual fights breaking out. The turmoil was quickly approaching her way. With mounting concern Lily tried to back away, but too many bodies pressed against her.

Suddenly, bright bursts of light exploded above her. All activity ceased as everyone stared up. Security wizards were now hovering all around her on brooms, wands pointed downwards.

"I order that everyone leave the square immediately," Shacklebolt said firmly. "Return to your daily lives – by not giving in to threats, you offer the strongest resistance to our foe. We will stop them, but only if we remain united and do not give in to fear. Now go!" Slowly, then with increasing speed, the crowds dispersed. Minutes later, Lily was free to move again, but instead of leaving the square, she instead continued towards the entrance.

Minister Shacklebolt was dressed in a royal purple robe, his dark face showing lines beyond those of age. He was consulting with a gaggle of Ministry wizards and witches when he noticed her approaching. "I'm sorry," he said brusquely, "the Ministry is off-limits for the time being."

His feigning of nonrecognition surprised her. "Kingsley, it's me, Lily Potter—"

"—I know exactly who you are," he said with the hint of a smile. "But my word stands."

"I don't want to investigate—all I want to do is see my aunt."

Shacklebolt squinted, saying nothing. Then he curtly nodded.

"Minister! We can't have the press—"

"—I vouch for her." He stared at her searchingly, a look of caution or reproach in his eye. "Do not do anything you shouldn't," he said softly. Lily did not hesitate; without saying another word, she quickly went inside.

* * *

Breaking from their fierce embrace, Aunt Hermione smoothed out the ruffles in her tightly-braided bun. "You've picked quite a day to finally visit me at work." Her voice was simultaneously serious and wry—a very typical thing of her famed aunt.

"Of course, this visit is strictly personal in nature," Lily said with a wry grin. "Mostly."

She chuckled, although Lily noted her aunt's attention had already turned towards a scroll on her desk, which she was reading while scribbling notes with her quill. "Aunt Hermione…" she began hesitantly.

"Yes, Lily?"

Gathering her thoughts, Lily said: "I'm sure by now my father has told you about what I've uncovered to date."

"I can safely say, you've uncovered more than anyone else outside the Ministry. That's not necessarily a good thing," she said with a little sharpness to her voice.

Lily nodded at the compliment/rebuke. "I have come across another piece of information, which I don't know what to do with. The problem is…" Her voice trailed away, as Lily was suddenly reluctant to go into all the details of her encounter with the Malfoys.

Aunt Hermione was staring intently at her from behind her spectacles. Lily fidgeted. "Go on," she said gently.

Something within her broke. Rapidly, she said: "This… this is much bigger… than a lead story for the papers. I think something terrible is happening… a threat to us all."

"Let me guess: you obtained it in less than a legal fashion." Lily did not reply; she waited for the hammer to fall. She leaned towards her a bit. "I will say this to you in the strictest confidence: sometimes rules must give way to consideration for the greater good."

Hiding her surprise, Lily said mildly: "That's… something I'm sure my father would say—"

"—and it surprises you to hear me say it, of course." She grinned mischievously, an uncommon and somewhat unnerving sight. "He didn't break all those rules by himself." Both women laughed. "Very well, to business: what have you discovered about these attacks?"

Lily hesitated, as she suddenly realized the duties of her own profession and the fact that, although she was family, Aunt Hermione was also part of the government that, her father strongly hinted, had hidden the truth of what they knew. "I will tell you, but only on the condition that you will not hide anything from me." Her aunt did not react. She continued: "I am not just a reporter, I'm a witch who will do anything to protect our world from those who would destroy it. Just like all of you are."

"Some things may be better left to the Ministry to handle," her aunt said slowly. "Even we do not know how great the danger may be."

That was an interesting—and hopeful—revelation. "Do I have your word, that I will be allowed to help, no matter the risk?"

Her aunt's mouth twitched. "Your mother would never forgive me if anything were to happen to you," she said softly.

_Interesting—she didn't say 'your parents'. _"As a witch of age, it is my right to take that risk."

Her aunt closed her eyes. A brittle silence followed, then: "You have our word."

Nodding, Lily slowly, carefully explained everything that happened since her visit to Eremos. Her aunt listened intently, not reacting at all. When Lily had finished, she asked: "Have you begun investigating who or what you saw?" Lily shook her head. "Then come with me; I think I can find some doors that only you can unlock."

* * *

Lily was still unraveling those mysterious words when they entered an elevator at the end of a long corridor. They rode together for some time, with no other wizards entering. Finally, Lily and her aunt exited, standing before a small iron gate set in a dark stone wall. "This is the entrance to Biblios," Aunt Hermione said.

_The great Library of Wizards._ Lily was breathless as they entered: shelves of books and scrolls that seemed to reach to the heavens flanked her. The stacks were largely empty of patrons, although a considerable amount of paper traffic occurred as stacks of materials floated by, and paper memos flew about.

It made the library at Hogwarts look like a tiny bookstore in comparison. "Where do we begin?" Lily asked, dazed by the sheer mass of materials.

"What makes Biblios such a special place is not so much what is available, but how to find it." Her aunt's voice had a dreamy, almost reverential tone to it. "Sometimes, I wish I had chosen the path of scholarship, but justice was such a pressing matter in those days." She quickly shook her head as if to clear it. "Never mind that, come with me."

Walking down several floors, they came to a large wooden door. Aunt Hermione took out her wand and tapped a small circular stone besides it three times. The door swung open, and they walked inside. There was a small table, with a large book, and what appeared to be a Pensieve in it.

"These are special magical search tools that exist only at Biblios," she explained. "In that codex, if you write something in it, every entry in the library matching it will be revealed. As for this," she pointed to the stone bowl, "concentrate your mind on a single thought, on a single image, and then place your thought inside. Deep inside Biblios is a great sink of memories, imprinted from librarians and patrons over the many centuries. Putting your memory inside will mix with those memories, and if anyone has ever encountered what you thought of, it will be made available." Lily stared at the tools in awe… and suspicion.

"It's a magnificent tool—and a dangerous one." Her aunt sighed. "I still wonder why it was so ineffective in helping to unravel the mysteries of Lord Voldemort." Lily jerked at the mention of the forbidden name. "I hope it is only ineffective, instead of misleading." She suddenly headed for the door. "I must attend to Ministry business now, so I will leave you to research. I'll be back in a few hours. Good luck."

"Good luck to you, Aunt Hermione." They hugged once more, then her aunt departed.

Lily was still daunted, but muscled up the courage to act. _Don't let a little book intimidate you!_ She opened the codex; it was completely blank. Suddenly a quill and some ink appeared besides her. Shrugging, she took the quill and neatly wrote, 'Rhikov' on the first page. Nothing happened. That moment of nothingness stretched for some minutes, then the book began to shiver.

Lily involuntary stepped back: writing began appearing below what she wrote. It was the name **Gyed A. Rhikov**, a 25-year old potionmaker living in Ruthenia. There was some additional biographical information, then the next entry was Alexa Rhikov, a witch living in Norway. To her dismay, the entries went on and on; dozens, then hundreds, then finally thousands of biographical entries, stretching back decades, centuries.

Many of the entries were written in languages she couldn't understand. "I'm sorry, I can't read these." Lily was pleasantly surprised when many—but not all—of the writing rearranged themselves into English. Unfortunately, there were more than a thousand pages of very small print. _Okay, the Rhikov I saw was called 'Instructor'._ She wrote 'Instructor' next to 'Rhikov'. Many of the entries erased themselves. There were now a couple dozen pages of writings. She then wrote 'male'. Many more entries were erased. Nothing more came to mind. Sighing, she began to read. And read. And read…

…An hour later, Lily could no longer bear reading about the details of lives that had nothing to do with anything. "Dead end," she said disgustedly. Lily looked at the Pensieve. _Let's do it._ She thought back to the blood memory, then concentrated as hard as she could on that strange seven-serpent symbol. Details came back to mind: the first snake was white, the second snake red, the third blue, the fourth green, the fifth, yellow, the sixth brown, and the last was black. _At least I think so._ She took her wand, placed it at her temple, then extracted the memory. Placing the tip of the wand in the bowl, silvery whispers swirled inside. Lily gasped as the walls dissolved away; the room was now hovering over a giant bowl-like depression in the ground, filled with swirling gaseous lights. _That's the biggest Pensieve I've ever seen!_ Nervously, Lily sat down and hoped the room's magic would not fail.

To her surprise something happened much faster than with the book: a ghostly apparition rose from the great bowl beneath her. Lily got to her feet and took out her wand, prodding the bowl with her memory in it. The giant apparition shimmered, then reformed…

…_Lily was in a small clearing; it was nighttime. A half-dozen figures stood around a small gravestone, ghostly flames from torches flickering across their black robes. On the gravestone was a larger version of the seven-serpent symbol Lily had seen in the blood memory. _

_The figure nearest to the headstone knelt down low and hissed softly in a language she didn't understand. Lily pointed her wand at the bowl and uttered: "Reddo."_

_The memory reformed; the kneeling figure said: "Great Lord Slytherin, we shall avenge you. We shall avenge Nagani. We will reclaim the world from the Magicless, from those whom Magic has forsaken. This we swear on our lives."_

"_On our lives," the other six figures replied. The kneeling figure took out her wand and touched the headstone with it: it vanished. One by one the figures Apparated away. The holder of the memory was the last to leave: he lingered, staring at the empty space. "Forgive me, my Lord," he whispered, then he vanished…_

Instantly the walls reformed around her; Lily was back inside a cramped room. She was deeply disturbed, and not just by the memory.

* * *

"Aunt Hermione," Lily asked somberly, "may I ask something?"

"Of course."

Lily braced herself. "Does this Pensieve steal memories? I don't understand how this could work otherwise."

Aunt Hermione looked very discomfited. Almost stuttering, she began: "There is very powerful magic behind it, old magic, magic which today would probably be considered Dark Magic. I don't understand all the details myself." She paused, wiping some sweat from her forehead. "It does not absorb memories unless consciously evoked. At least, that's what I've been told."

"So how did this memory get left behind?" Lily wondered.

"It's entirely possible that the person left the memory behind intentionally. Unfortunately, the Sieve does not record from whom any particular memory is taken." She chuckled. "Actually, that's probably a good thing; otherwise, this device would be too dangerous to permit."

Lily was reassured to hear her aunt's famous concern for individual rights assert themselves, even in this dire situation. "Okay, well, at least we have someplace to start. So, this symbol has something to do with Slytherin. Did he conjure up a new spell that could take away a witch's magical abilities? But that's impossible!" It seemed crazy: how could magic—any magic—negate magic?

Her aunt spoke: "Another question comes to mind: why would a wizard obsessed with wizard superiority use something that, in the wrong hands, could destroy everything he held dear?"

"I dunno." Lily tried to think back to _Hogwarts: A History (Updated Edition)_. She remembered his disagreements with the other Founders, the legend (and reality) of the Chamber of Secrets. But nothing more came to mind about Salazaar Slytherin himself.

"Well, we know that Lucius Malfoy got some secret information related to Salazaar Slytherin," her aunt said quickly. "Now we need to locate either his secret gravesite, or the place where he retrieved that scroll."

"I don't suppose that's common knowledge," Lily said, somewhat dejected.

"Perhaps not. Let go to the stacks," her aunt said, "I need to refresh my memory."

Lily marveled that _any_ fact could be beyond her aunt's recall. At a table, she summoned a dozen hefty tomes and began methodically reading through them.

For her part, Lily checked out a recent copy of _Hogwarts: A History._ All it said about Slytherin after he had left the school was: 'It is believed he withdrew from the mainstream of wizarding society, aiming to create a new one based on magical superiority, but scholars have almost no evidence of what happened.' _No wonder nobody bothers to read this,_ she thought with dark humor.

"A while ago, I had done some reading about Slytherin, what happened to him," her aunt said from behind a large scroll. "As I remember, he left Britain for the Continent, to create a select wizard community, where no… half-wizards would be allowed," she said with a grimace. She kept reading: "It is generally accepted, although by no means proved, he had something to do with the founding of the predecessor to Durmstrang."

"Who was Nagani?" Lily asked. "Besides the Dark One's serpent?"

"That's _Nagini_," her aunt corrected her. "'Nagani', I believe, was Slytherin's daughter or grand-daughter, I don't remember exactly." She took out another book. "No one else does, either. Anyways, she died some years after Slytherin left Hogwarts," she said quietly. She put down the scrolls. A little while later, she got up and said: "I am going to Durmstang and make inquiries to the Headmaster there."

"No!" Lily blurted out. Aunt Hermione gave her a quizzical look. "Many Death Eaters were students or alumni of Durmstrang, it's dangerous—"

"—that was a long time ago, Lily, and in the current environment, I'm sure they'll be cooperative."

Lily was scared for some reason. "What about the attackers? Maybe they'll be waiting for someone from the Ministry!"

Her aunt paused. "Not implausible," she conceded. "Never work alone if you don't have to." She scribbled something on a piece of paper, then waved her wand; it quickly flew away. Standing, she said: "I must go, Lily, time is of the essence."

Lily did not hesitate: "I'm going with you."

Aunt Hermione did not hesitate either: "Absolutely not. If anything happened to you, your parents would never forgive me, and I could never forgive myself—"

"—I thought you said I could assist you in any way possible," Lily interrupted. She sensed her temper rising, but found herself unable—or perhaps unwilling—to do anything about it.

Her aunt smiled in response. "I didn't exactly say that, although I certainly implied it." Lily's aunt looked searchingly at her. "Actually, I may have use for you."

"I'm an adult," Lily said quickly. "You don't need to ask them for permission; I agree of my own free will."

"Indeed, young lady, you are," she said quietly. She looked very uncomfortable, unnerved even. It made Lily nervous herself, but she resolutely refused to show any doubt. Apparently it worked, for she finally said: "Very well, you can come so long as you do exactly what I say. Your word you will do so?"

"Of course," Lily replied immediately.

"Okay, let's go." Walking behind her aunt, Lily was dismayed to find her knees shaking.

* * *

Apparating in, they were standing at the edge of a gloomy forest, high hills surrounded by mist in the distance, the sun dropping rapidly lower in the sky. There was a worn path in the ground ahead of them.

"Let's go," Lily said immediately, taking a step forward. Her aunt quickly restrained her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Not yet, we need to wait for someone," she said.

"Who?" Her question was immediately answered by the person who Apparated next to her. Lily almost went for her wand, but quickly relaxed as a familiar voice greeted them.

"Where are they? I'll turn them into scampering little mice, the bastards!"

Her aunt chuckled. "Relax, dear, we're not fighting anyone today—at least I hope not."

Lily's uncle lowered his wand. "Then what the devil do you need me for?" His jovial countenance vanished as he realized she was standing next to her aunt. "Why did you bring Lily here?" Uncle Ron said, more exasperated than fearful.

"We need her—"

"—Merlin's beard, Ginny will kill us when she finds out, to say nothing of Mum." Now he looked nervous! "Let me guess, this was Harry's idea—"

"—Dear, we have an important job to do." She sounded exasperated herself, but Lily could see the twinkle in her eyes betraying instead a strong sense of affection. "Your job is to watch over Lily, just in case. Let's go." Aunt Hermione began walking down the path, with Lily and Uncle Ron in tow.

"So who guards your back on this adventure?" Her uncle was smiling, but Lily noted his competent monitoring of the area around them, and he held his wand completely steady.

"I can handle myself, Ron."

"Sure you say, but what about that incident five years ago with the rogue dragons—"

"—Concentrate, Ronald, concentrate!" Lily could tell her uncle was getting to her aunt, but this was still very mild by the standards she had experienced in the past. They walked for some time, until the path ended in a small clearing, where there was a large hexagonal stone in the ground.

Lily understood then. "Only Durmstrang faculty and students know how to get there. This is the way for outsiders to contact them."

"I could have gotten a Ministry order, but it's faster this way," her aunt agreed. She tapped the stone three times with her wand. A minute later, a small old wizard Apparated before them.

"State your business before the Institute," he said abruptly, with no warmth in his voice.

"I am Hermione Granger Weasley," her aunt said authoritatively, "Minister of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. I wish to speak with Headmistress Androyei regarding the recent attacks."

The wizard's eyes widened. In a more deferential voice, he replied: "Of course, Minister. Follow me." He abruptly vanished.

"Now what?" both Lily and her uncle said simultaneously.

"Everyone grab a part of the stone," she said. They did so, waiting. Moments later, they were whisked away. They stood before a compact castle in the distance, set within a vast ground.

* * *

"Forgive me, Minister, but I do not see the connection between Slytherin and the recent attacks," Irina Androyei said silkily.

"It is a line of investigation we are pursuing," her aunt replied.

"A rather far-fetched one, in my opinion. Certainly not so likely as to require your personal attention?"

Aunt Hermione's smile was as sweet as it was chilly: "I will be the judge of that." Before the Durmstrang Headmistress could respond, she continued: "We need to learn the true circumstances of Salazaar Slytherin's death. There is a secret archive here at the Institute, do not deny it."

When the Headmistress tried to, she was cut off: "This is not about revenge, or seeking to embarrass the school regarding its past connections with the Dark One. If we're going to stop these attacks, we must know what we're up against, and I have strong reason to believe it is related to magic from Slytherin's time."

The Headmistress looked nervous, but did not respond. Her uncle suddenly piped up: "You'll never get a more reasonable offer from the Ministry than you just did from her. If you say no, you'll be disagreeably surprised." His tone was lighter, but with a definite edge to it. Apparently it had the desired effect: the Headmistress slumped and nodded.

"Follow me," she said. They did so, passing through the dark thin towers and spires of the castle. Lily was fascinated; she had known only a few students who attended Durmstrang, who occasionally came for a term as exchange students at Hogwarts. They were sharp, intelligent people with more than a dark tinge to them, which at times both repulsed and attracted her. They rarely spoke of their school itself, but their brief mentions of the grounds matched what she saw. _I wonder if it gets any better during the daytime._ They were now beyond the castle grounds, quickly approaching the edge of the forest. At the outer perimeter of the grounds was a small nondescript guardtower. They entered, and began descending down into the depths of the earth.

With mounting excitement, Lily realized it matched the vision she had seen in the blood Pensieve of the Malfoys. To her confusion, the stairwell ended in front of a blank wall. The Headmistress took out her wand and traced a door, which then appeared—the same wooden door she remembered. It opened, and they stepped inside. The room was small, barely big enough for the four of them to stand, and filled with old books and scrolls. The Headmistress pointed to a shelf. Her aunt nodded, and went towards it.

Behind them the Headmistress slowly began to exit, but suddenly her uncle took out his wand and said, "You're waiting here with us until we're done." She threw him a hateful look, but did not leave.

Her aunt began unraveling and going through scrolls, muttering silently to herself. Lily took one old book and opened it up. It was written in a foreign language, so she used the Translation Charm. It read:

…_Banished from Hogwarts, the Great Warlock Slytherin came to the eastern lands, seeking to create a new society of Wizards, free from the taint of the Magicless._ _This is the story of Royat Mardu, wizard of Salisbury, who followed in the footsteps of his great master…_

Lily began to read of Mardu, but it was slow-going; after nearly an hour, she had barely gone through his early childhood, which appeared to be a nothing but fights and battles with other wizard children, spiced with disturbing accounts of 'adventures' against the Muggle villagers nearby.

"Lily, come and read this," her aunt said. Lily put the book down and joined her. She was reading a large scroll, which was completely blank.

"There's nothing here," Lily said.

Her aunt said: "I know. But look at the seal." Lily did so; it was the seven-serpent one she had seen before.

"Nothing I try works. But I think you can do it. Touch the sign."

With some trepidation, Lily did so. She thought she felt a brief flash of pain, but it was so quick it was gone before she realized it. Then slowly, words appeared on the page:

* * *

_**The words of Damath, servant of the Great Lord Slytherin  
The Artisan and The Squib of Fate**_

…For many years Lord Slytherin ruled over his new magical kingdom of Uchronia, a wondrous place where witches and wizards walked the earth secure in their mastery of all things. Most important of all, he was unyielding in his supremacy over the innumerable beings of dust who would never know Magic. The Magicless cowered at his feet, bringing him tribute, always subject to his capricious will.

Firm as he was, his family were even stronger in their disdain. Most contemptuous of all was the Mistress Nagani, his beloved youngest daughter, who was beautiful and blessed by Magic. She would boldly stride through the Magicless villages, demanding acts of fealty, yielding fearsome punishment to those who would show the slightest hesitation or defiance. In those days, wizards and witches were kings of the world...

* * *

…One day, the impetuous Nagani, not yet thirteen, demanded that a Magicless artisan give her all the sculptures he had created for his wife. The artisan gave all but one to Nagani, a prized work he had created for their wedding. When Nagani learned that he had not done so, she flew into a terrible rage. She descended on the village in a pillar of fire, destroying the artisan's home, and turning his wife and three children into figurines of stone. Then she blinded him, and sent him into the woods to die, telling him: 'From the mud you came, to the mud I return you!'

One week later, a witch was tormenting the villagers, and suddenly the artisan had returned to the village, his sight restored. He told her to stop, and the witch laughed and sent a ball of fire at him. To her amazement, when it hit him nothing happened. The artisan approached the witch, who threw spell after spell against him, but there was no effect. Finally, the artisan grabbed the terrified witch, who then became Magicless herself. The artisan shouted to all the villagers what had happened, and what he could do. The villagers then tore the helpless witch to pieces, while the artisan grabbed an axe and made his way towards Lord Slytherin's castle.

A wizard saw the artisan and tried to stop him. His magic had no power over the artisan, and he too was robbed of his powers and cut down. When the artisan entered the castle, Nagani saw him, but did not understand what he was capable of. Arrogantly she said she would freeze him and cut him to pieces. She then cast an _Immobilus _spell on the artisan, who pretended to freeze. She walked up to him, and was shocked when he grabbed her, turning her Magicless.

Lord Slytherin himself then appeared, demanding to know what had happened. The artisan held Nagani as his prisoner, claiming he was the Destroyer of Magic and that he would have his revenge on all wizards. Slytherin tried to use magic against the artisan, but nothing would work. The artisan laughed at his powerlessness, then strangled Nagani right in front of him. Howling with rage and horror, Slytherin and all of the witches and wizards fled the castle.

Slytherin was so devastated by the death of his daughter that he could not function. One of his witches suggested a plan to lure the artisan into a trap. Word was sent to the artisan that they would give restitution to the Magicless and offer to bring the artisan's family back from the dead if he would surrender Nagani's body to us. The artisan agreed to meet us in the castle the next morning. Twelve of us secretly entered the castle, invisible or disguised as birds. Rejuvenated by the prospect of revenge, Lord Slytherin agreed to the plan.

The next day Lord Slytherin came alone to the castle the villagers now claimed. The artisan was waiting with Nagani's body, guarded by over fifty from the village. We then revealed ourselves and attacked the artisan and his camp. Many of the Magicless were killed, but the artisan's fearful unmagic protected those nearby. Ten witches and wizards were robbed of their Magic by the artisan, and eight of them were killed. But the artisan was distracted enough for Lord Slytherin to approach and slay him with a dagger. We then fled with the bodies of the fallen.

We later vowed to destroy the village and all the Magicless within, but the Wizard Council learned of what happened, and they warned us to take no further action. A magical taboo was placed on the village, and no other witch or wizard has stepped foot there to this day...

* * *

_…_From that day until his death a few years later, Lord Slytherin was a broken man, withdrawing from all contact with his family and other wizards, never leaving his home except to visit the grave of Nagani. The night before he died, I came to him to offer care. Normally he would refuse all comers, but that evening he agreed. As I entered, he froze and gave forth the Prophecy of the Squib of Fate. I heard those words and was terrified by them. He then told me to take revenge against all the Magicless when he was gone, to avenge Nagani and all the other wizards who fell at the hands of the artisan and the Magicless.

Later the next day, we his most trusted followers buried the Lord Slytherin in a secret grave, so that the Magicless could never defile it. The rest of them vowed to carry out his request for revenge, but at that moment I had a change of heart. No longer did I want any more wizard blood to be shed; far better to follow the approach of the Wizard Council, to separate ourselves from the Magicless so that they could no longer harm us. So after we buried my grandfather, I told the Wizard Council of their plans, and stopped them. I feel shame for betraying my wizard brothers and sisters, but it was the right thing to do...

* * *

...Many years later, I broke the taboo and returned to the village disguised as a Magicless traveler, seeking the truth of what had happened. From my conversations and discrete use of memory charms, I learned the following:

After Nagani left him to die, the artisan wandered the woods for three days, sticking near a stream and eating grass and roots. Hunger overwhelmed him, and on the fourth day he lay in the waters waiting to die.

An unknown figure then came to him, someone not human, asking what had happened. The artisan told him of Nagani and what had happened to his family. He then asked to be left alone so that he could die in peace. The figure took pity upon him, and asked if he wanted revenge against the wizards who did this to him. The artisan eagerly said yes, and asked what it would cost him. The figure said nothing, that his vengeance would be a lesson to those who would now inherit Magic.

The figure touched him on the forehead and said by morning he would be more powerful than all wizards. The figure disappeared, and the artisan slept. When he awoke, he could see again. He then returned to the village_…_

* * *

_…_To this day my heart trembles in fear at the thought that there is an un-Magic greater than all Magic combined. I do not know from where this terrible power came from, nor do I dare inquire further, lest someday that mysterious figure may yet return and give the Magicless the power to destroy all wizardry.

The final night approaches, and soon I feel I will return to Magic. Before I do, I feel compelled to write these words, as a warning to future generations of pure-blooded wizards: _beware the Squib of Fate__, for one day he shall return…_

* * *

_…_Only when she stopped reading and the words on the scroll faded to nothingness was Lily somehow able return to the world around her. Before that, her mind, her very soul, had been whisked away to almost a thousand years ago, spellbound by the account of those terrible events. She touched herself, as if to make sure she was actually there.

Lily could tell her aunt, normally the most imperturbable person she knew, had been equally affected by the import of what she had read. She breathed heavily, eyes closed, rubbing her forehead. Finally she said: "One mystery solved, at least."

"The Malfoys are descendants of Damath; it's Damath's blood that I have inside me." Lily held up her finger, and shivered. "But was any of it true, though? I mean, this makes _Beedle The Bard_ sound like _Hogwarts: A History!_"

Her aunt responded: "Before the Ministry of Magic, back around the time of Slytherin, there were several less-formal self-governing bodies, and I'm sure at least one of them was called the Wizard Council. Beyond that, I just don't know."

"Alright, so where does that leave us?"

Her aunt did not answer right away. Thinking, she looked at the blank scroll. "_Accio Prophecy!_" she said suddenly. Nothing happened.

"The Squib of Fate – it was that artisan, right?" Lily's mind was working rapidly, and her thoughts spilled out of her mouth at the same rate. "That's what Lucius Malfoy was looking for, the prophecy of the Squib of Fate! Where would it be?" Suddenly it hit Lily: "Slytherin's tomb, of course!"

Her aunt smiled, nodding. "Always an adventure when a Potter gets involved. Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10 Slytherin's Tomb

**Chapter 10 – Slytherin's Tomb**

* * *

"Slytherin's Tomb is a myth, perpetrated by those who are jealous of his legacy."

"Headmistress, it is counterproductive to try to defend his name by hiding the truth."

Headmistress Androyei looked outraged. She sputtered: "That you would… you…"

Aunt Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Me? Is there something you wanted to say about my inquiries?" She paused. "Or perhaps, my heritage?"

Both Lily and Uncle Ron's mouths fell open in amazement. _Is she trying to goad her into calling her a…_ Lily couldn't even think it. Her aunt continued to have a small but wicked smile on her face. The flames from the fireplace in the Headmistress's office danced crazily across her spectacles.

Apparently the Headmistress realized she had gone way over the line. "Of course, not, Minister," she said hurriedly, and with a surprising degree of sincerity. "I never meant to suggest—"

"—then let us not speak of the matter anymore. Where is his tomb?"

"I do not know." Her aunt raised her eyebrow again. Beside her, Uncle Ron suppressed a snicker. "It is concealed by ancient magic, it has been said that all those who sought his final resting place never returned." Androyei glared at them after saying that, as if daring them to take up the idea and see what would happen if they did. "A dozen miles from here, beyond the southern mountains, that is where people began their search." She pointed her wand at the wall; a giant map showing the local area appeared, with Durmstrang in the center and a large red 'X' some distance beneath it.

"Thank you for your assistance, Headmistress. Good day." Lily was greatly relieved to be out of her presence, and minutes later outside of the school entirely. It suddenly occurred to her that during their visit, they had not seen a single student or teacher about while they were there.

"So, would you like to come along, Lily?" asked Aunt Hermione cheerily.

Lily was so astonished by the invitation her only response was a confused, "Uh?"

"Are you mad? You heard the lady, it's probably a whole field of cursed traps!" Her uncle sounded genuinely upset, not a trace of bemusement like before. _This must be serious._

"Perhaps, but we've already seen that Lily's connection through Lucius Malfoy's blood gift has been essential to get us this far. Voldemort presumably managed to reach his tomb, and it was probably because of his blood connection to Slytherin. We will need the same."

Her aunt's words sort of made sense; her uncle did not offer a counter-argument. She turned to her again, her face kind. "Of course, if you don't wish to come, I will not force you."

She sounded a lot like her dad; it automatically brought the fight out of her. "I'm coming."

Aunt Hermione smiled. "Very good. Everyone grab a hold of hand." Lily and her uncle did so. "On three: one, two, three!" The world vanished.

* * *

Instantly they reappeared in another gloomy clearing, surrounded by tall, dark trees that seemed to stretch forever into a dark nothingness. Grey hills to the north of them were covered in mists, the early hint of dawn a gleam on the horizon. Far in the distance, a wolf howled.

Uncle Ron was spinning on his spot, wand at the ready, a grim and determined look in his face. Suddenly nervous, Lily fumbled for her wand, actually dropping it. She quickly bent down to pick it up and held it out, pointing at the darkness, trying to keep it steady.

Aunt Hermione raised her wand, and began softly muttering a strange language. She traced a circle above her head, over and over. A ghostly light flew out in all directions, disappearing into the twilight. She lowered her wand.

"What was that, '_Magicus Revelio_', or something?" her uncle asked.

Her aunt began to laugh. "Dear, there's no such spell!"

"Well there oughta be! Right useful if there was."

She reached over and kissed him on the cheek; although sorely tempted, Lily did not turn away like she automatically did when her parents engaged in what she thought was all-too-frequent signs of affection. "You're a genius, dear!"

"I am?"

"You're correct, there's no modern spell that does that. Why would there be, it would detect everything!" She turned to Lily. "Ancient magic often required a much longer incantation to invoke. It makes it less convenient, but often more powerful."

"So how does it work?"

"Like your uncle said, I cast the equivalent of a _Revelio _spell, to search for magical concealment." She raised her wand again, pointing it outwards, slowly rotating in place. About a quarter-turn in, the tip of her wand began to glow. "This way."

They followed slowly behind her, wands at the ready. Even though it was becoming daylight, the mass of the forest around them made it a dark and foreboding trek. Soon the woods became so thick their pace had slowed to a crawl.

"Are we there yet?" Her uncle's words were more light-hearted than exasperated, but they didn't amuse her aunt.

"Just keep a watch out for werewolves!" Unlike Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione's words had a sardonic touch to them.

He grunted. "Werewolves I can handle. Just no spiders, please. One Aragog was enough for me, thank you!"

Lily understood the reference; it was one of the few stories her dad had willingly shared with them. For some reason, after that year he became much more reluctant to say anything. 'When you're married and have kids, then we'll get to Year 3!' he had joked. She found it not at all amusing.

Sighing, she contented herself with listening to her aunt and uncle trade barbs as only they could, this time about something called a grawp.

* * *

Some time later, when the sun was clearly at full strength even through the forest canopy, Aunt Hermione abruptly stopped. Raising her hand as a gesture for them to stay back, she held out her wand before her, swaying slightly left and right, in front of her.

Lily looked at her uncle, who smiled and simply shrugged. "I guess reading old books in the library wasn't a total waste of time for her after all."

"Guess not." She was moving rather afar off the beaten path they had followed. "Should we follow her?"

"Why not?" Her uncle led the way, and Lily followed close behind. For some time they followed after her aunt, not saying a word. _Albus and the gang loved going into the Forbidden Forest,_ Lily thought sourly. _Perhaps Rose and I should have took them up on the offer._ Of course, the reason she didn't was that she wanted no part of Albus' schemes to do the forbidden but famed 'Harry Potter' tour that witches and wizards from a dozen classes before them had. _It was all the worst because by seventh year he was actually claiming he knew them all!_

If her dad had ever known about it, apparently he didn't respond. _If I were him, I'd have zapped Albus' buttocks for such impudence!_ Then again, her dad was surprisingly tolerant about lots of things. It was always interesting to see where he drew the line—

"—Okay, I found it!" Immediately they hurried up to Aunt Hermione's side. Before them was… a small patch of dirt.

Her uncle was skeptical. "This is it?"

"Yes. And good thing Lily came along, because you're the only way we can uncover it."

Lily was suddenly nervous. "Uh, what do I do?"

Her aunt actually seemed stumped. Scratching her head (a most unusual gesture that she was sure she'd picked up from her uncle), she finally said: "Try standing in the middle and cast a 'Revelio' spell."

Lily did so. And nothing happened. _Hmm…_

Her aunt thought some more. "Parseltongue!"

Abruptly her uncle strode forward. "Allow me!" He began to clear his throat.

"Sorry, dear, that won't work." Her aunt seemed bemused for some strange reason. "_Accio Serpentes!"_ A few seconds later a small green snake flew towards them.

"Gah!" Uncle Ron immediately leaped backward. As Aunt Hermione lowered the snake in front of Lily, she said nervously, "Aunt Hermione?"

"Don't worry. _Imperio!"_ Lily was shocked, but said nothing. Then Aunt Hermione raised the snake up in the air. Through clenched teeth she said: "Lily, please hold out your left hand."

Gritting her teeth, she did so. The tiny serpent, less than a foot long, landed in it, and did not move away, but slowly coiled about her wrist. "Wasn't that illegal?"

"Only if it's used against a person," she replied instantly. "Step into the patch again, and hold up your wand." Lily complied. Her aunt began mouthing wordlessly, and Lily started as the tiny snake began hissing very loudly, but not the way a normal snake does; the hisses had a definite rhythm to them, almost musical.

The ground began to tremble. Abruptly the snake fell away and slithered off into the woods. "Quickly, Ron, with Lily!" They both jumped next to her, as the dirt patch beneath their feet sprouted thick green grass, then expanded in a concentric circle in all directions, actually pushing the forest back some fifty feet. The ground trembled some more; they all stepped back as a golden obelisk, twice as tall as her uncle, rose from the ground.

For a moment they were all speechless. "Well, that seemed to work," her uncle said waveringly. They approached the tombstone. In dazzling silver letters it read:

**THE ETERNAL RESTING PLACE OF THE WARLOCK  
SALAZAR SLYTHERIN  
FIRST WIZARD OF THE WIZARDING WORLD  
FOUNDER OF HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
MASTER OF THE KINGDOM OF UCHRONIA**

_**THE SONS OF WIZARDS  
SHALL ONE DAY RULE THE WORLD  
IN HIS NAME  
FOREVER**_

Something didn't seem right; then it hit her. "His tombstone didn't look like this, right? It was a simple stone head, if I remember correctly."

"You think You-Know-Who decided to spruce up his ancestor's grave?" Uncle Ron said with a hint of contempt.

"Exactly. And I bet he added those lines about 'the sons of wizards.' It sounds just like him," her aunt said grimly. She peered down at the rectangular platform of stone overlooked by the obelisk, running her wand over it. "There were many protective enchantments over the grave, but Voldemort must have removed them all."

"Uh, Hermione, you're not going to do what I think you are, are you?" her uncle said nervously.

"I'm afraid there's no other way."

"What if there's a curse?"

"I detect none."

"Are you sure?"

"Ron, clearly he's tampered with Slytherin's grave, if he survived opening it, we will."

Her uncle did not look convinced. "I sense no ancient magic, nor modern magic, within. My guess is, Voldemort disarmed any curses in place, then was content to rely on the old magical concealment. Wouldn't be the first time he took things for granted."

Her uncle sighed. "Alright. Stand behind me Lily—now!" Startled by the force of his command, she did so.

"Good idea, Ron." Gingerly she pointed her wand at the stone lid to Slytherin's sarcophagus. Trembling, it slowly floated up and away. Her aunt let it down on the ground with a thud, and the three of them peered inside.

Three feet below the ground lay the body of an extremely tall man, perfectly preserved and powerfully built, bald with a long flowing white beard (something like that of the old Headmaster Dumbledore, Lily thought, remembering his portrait) atop a purple-velvet-lined floor. Clothed in a pure black robe, he appeared to be sleeping. His arms were folded across his chest, grasping a rusty, chipped dagger—with a shock, Lily realized his hands, which had held the dagger, had rotted away, leaving nothing but moldy dust behind. Peering closer, his body was surrounded by a strange shimmering distortion, as if they were looking at him through moving water. But the dagger was completely clear.

"What's that?" her uncle asked. "Is that blood?"

Squinting, Lily leaned in, and indeed flecks of dark maroon appeared to line the dagger's edges.

Her aunt was at one side of the grave, Lily and her uncle at the other. "That distortion is a Preservation Charm," her aunt said. "It must have been extremely powerful to last to the present day. Probably cast by all the wizards you saw, Lily."

"His hands are gone," Lily said, pointing. "Do you think that blood on the dagger—that it's from the artisan? That it destroyed his hands" She could barely believe it, but if so, if the story was true…

"Only one way to find out," her uncle said. But before he could even begin to reach in, her aunt screamed: "No, Ron! Don't touch it! Or you'll become a Squib!"

Her uncle froze in mid-gesture, as if a _Petrificus _curse had been cast on him. "What are you saying?" Lily asked her. Although she suspected the truth, she had to hear it from her aunt before she could actually believe it.

Aunt Hermione spoke carefully: "I think we now know that Damath's tale was no story, but a completely true historical account." She shuddered. "Slytherin must have insisted he be buried with the dagger he used to kill the artisan—a symbol of his vengeance for Nagaini. Whatever…magic the artisan used, it must have been in his blood, since the Preservation Charm doesn't work in its presence."

"Blimey, you mean to say… You-Know-Who… came here, and ... and took that guy's blood from the dagger? And made it into some kind of anti-magic potion?" Her uncle looked horrified.

"As good an explanation as any," her aunt said, serious as a stone.

"How? How is that possible?" Lily fought to keep a rising feeling of hysteria down.

"The Ministry must investigate further." Her aunt stood up. "We need to take a sample of that blood back to study, perhaps we can then find an antidote." Her aunt conjured up a flask, then she pointed at the dagger. "_Accio_!"

Nothing happened, except for small pieces of the dagger flying off. Her aunt shook her head "What was I thinking, of course magic won't work on it! Please get me a very thin stick."

She and her uncle scoured the area. "Got one!" Her uncle ran back and handed her aunt a twig. Gently she lowered herself and tried to scrape up some blood. She got a few flakes, then carefully deposited it inside. Sighing with relief, she said: "Okay, let's get back to the Ministry—"

"—Aunt Hermione!" Lily shrieked; the flask was breaking up! It crumbled to dust, and the twig with the blood fell out.

"Don't let it touch the ground!" Lily was too far away; then her uncle dove, catching the twig in his traveling cloak.

"Ron!" Her aunt dropped her wand and rushed over to him.

"Save by Ron Weasley," he said with a grin. Lips quivering, her aunt hugged him fiercely. Standing up, she dabbed at her eyes.

"If that blood had touched the ground, it would have destroyed all the magical concealment in Slytherin's tomb," her aunt said quietly. "Everyone would be able to find it."

Her uncle was smiling, but he was sweating profusely, and his hands began to tremble as he lifted his cloak up, the twig with the blood resting on it.

"Now we go back to the Ministry?" Lily asked.

"Yes—No! We still need one more thing, the Prophecy!"

"'The Squib of Fate'," Lily repeated, uneasily. "I didn't like the sound of that."

"Neither do I, although prophecies don't always work out the way you think they do," her aunt quipped. "Let's look for it."

"_Accio Prophecy!_" her uncle said loudly. But nothing happened. "Okay, we'll just have to do it the hard way."

They searched the tomb and surrounding area for an hour, but they found nothing. "Do you think You-Know-Who took it?" uncle Ron asked, disappointed.

"Perhaps we overlooked it back in the Durmstrang library," her aunt replied in an equally disappointed tone of voice.

Lily said: "Do you think Lucius took it? He did take one scroll, and obviously it was not the Damath story one."

"Maybe. Ah, I hate prophecies!" her aunt said vehemently, then collected herself. "It doesn't matter, we have the important thing: Voldemort used the artisan's blood to create some kind of anti-magic weapon, and whoever this Nihilo is, somehow he discovered the secret, and is using it to attack the Wizarding world." Lily thought that was an admirably succinct and accurate summary of the situation.

"Heh, so he did have a weapon after all!"

Her aunt also laughed briefly at the inexplicable reference. But she was immediately all-business. "We have to get back to the Ministry. Ron, will you help me out?"

"Of course." The two of them resealed Slytherin's tomb, then with extraordinary care Ron picked up his cloak and the twig wrapped inside. They stepped outside, and just as Lily was about to ask her aunt if they needed to get another snake, the tomb area abruptly shrank and disappeared, once again replaced by forest.

They were about to Apparate back to Durmstrang when her aunt stopped them. "Wait, we don't know if the blood can be Apparated away."

"That's crazy," her uncle said, but he didn't sound confident. "Let's find out." Before Lily or her aunt could react, he took out his wand and Disapparated away. Ten feet away he re-Apparated, causing both Lily and her aunt to start.

"Ron!" "Uncle Ron!" the two women yelled out simultaneously.

He gingerly unwrapped his cloak. The twig was still there.

Aunt Hermione had a puzzled look on her face. "I don't understand."

"At least we know," her uncle said. "Maybe magic doesn't work on the blood, but as long as it's contained in a non-magical container, that container can be transported."

Her aunt smiled broadly. "Obviously."

"Come on, I'm hungry for lunch."

"Always thinking about food, aren't you Ronald"

"You know me so well."

Lily thought she was going to lose _her _lunch if her uncle and aunt kept expressing their affections for each other any longer. By contrast, the dark halls of Durmstrang would almost be a relief!


	11. Chapter 11 The Squib of Fate

**Chapter 11 – The Squib of Fate**

* * *

When they Apparated back, Lily immediately noticed they were not back at the Ministry, but a desolate empty field. Off to the side, Aunt Hermione was whispering to her uncle. Their whispers became increasingly agitated. A sudden flare of emotion filled her – she suspected what they were talking about… and what they would ask of her.

She tried to keep the anger out of her face, smiling awkwardly. Aunt Hermione walked over to her, a grim look on her face. "Now Lily, I need to ask you—"

"—not to tell anyone about what we uncovered," Lily said, her voice more resigned than upset.

Her aunt bit her lip, and nodded. "We don't want to start a panic among the wizarding population."

Lily decided she would try to appeal to her aunt with reasoned arguments. "Do you think the desire to prevent panic outweighs the value of telling the people what they're up against?"

"They already know this 'Nihilo' character has learned how to rob a witch of her magical powers. They don't know that there is no magical defense to this." Her aunt's eyes narrowed. "Tell me, how do you think witches and wizards will react to that information?"

_Not well._ "And I suppose we don't want Nihilo to know we're on his tail," Lily said with a sudden burst of insight.

Aunt Hermione smiled. "Indeed. As I'm sure your father told you, Dumbledore's ability to keep his actions against Voldemort hidden for as long as he did was a major reason we were able to defeat him—though Harry deserves most of the credit, of course."

Lily knew just enough of the story to know she was telling the truth. _Alright, I'll let her win this time. _"So what are you going to do? Do you trust me enough to tell me that?"

Lily's retort didn't faze her. Instead, she said calmly: "We will investigate, try to understand what we're up against."

"We don't have much time, less than a week," Lily said nervously.

"I know. Lily, but I promise you the top minds at the Ministry will be on it immediately. In the mean time, will you do me a favor?"

"Of course. What?"

"You've done all you can to help us unravel part of the mystery." She suddenly smiled. "I know you don't want to stop, and I will not ask you to do so. You may continue to follow up on the investigation into what we found at Slytherin's Tomb." Her aunt paused. "But I think it would be prudent of you, that you refrain from investigating any other part of the mystery."

Lily tried to process her aunt's unusual request. _Another part of the mystery? What could that be? _Then it hit her clean. "You want me to stay out of investigating Nihilo himself."

Now her aunt nodded. "That is too dangerous a task; please, leave that to the Ministry."

"Are you sure? I think—"

"Lily, I've already put you in greater jeopardy than I had any right to ask of you." Her voice was suddenly strong with emotion, and her eyes seemed moist. "You're like another daughter to me, and if something were to happen to you, I could never forgive myself, for what that would do to your grandparents, to Harry, to Ginny…" She reached out and touched her cheek.

Something caught in the back of Lily's throat. "Alright, alright, I agree!" she said quickly, desperately trying to prevent any more emotional burdens from piling up.

"Thank you, Lily. I'll let you know about ongoing events. In the meantime, your word?"

"My word."

"Excellent. Ronald, let us go." Without another word they Disapparated, leaving Lily alone… and suddenly feeling very foolish!

_She played me! _Her very clever aunt had tricked her into promising to continue following up the investigation of the artisan's blood, instead of the more-pressing issue of who was behind the attacks. _But that blood is anti-magical, it resists magic. So what more could Ministry witches and wizards learn? Nothing! It was a dead end!_

Sighing angrily, Lily kicked at the ground in frustration. The reporter side of her was tempted to ignore the bargain immediately, but she had given her word as a Potter. _Next time, do not refuse to leave any stone unturned. _

* * *

In the six days that followed, Lily was busy doing what every other reporter was: finding an investigatory angle into what some voices were calling 'the greatest crisis ever to face the wizarding world.' For her part, she blanched at the_ Quibbler's_ sensationalism. _Wasn't there a certain Lord Voldemort not so long ago?_ Trouble was, You-Know-Who was what her editor called 'yesterday's news'.

Lily had discretely inquired into the Ministry's efforts, but to her growing surprise no one seemed to have any idea that there was evidence to investigate regarding the nature of the anti-magic weapon used by Nihilo. _Aunt Hermione said that the top minds in the wizarding world would investigate, but it seems nothing is happening._ She had even asked Professor Longbottom, and got a candid answer that he had heard nothing. _I wonder if she would be upset if I really investigated the Ministry's investigation,_ Lily mused. In the end, though, she decided to give her aunt and the Ministry the benefit of the doubt.

Instead, the main story she decided to pursue for now was people's reactions to the new crisis, a topic Albertsworth heartily approved of. Her real interest was wizard attitudes to the purebloods who apparently were the target of Nihilo's wrath. It had proven very difficult to get their reactions to their tormenter; even though it was thirty years since the time of the Dark One, the taint of their class's wholesale support for his goals existed to this day. When she asked the Malfoys about their reaction to the crisis, Draco Malfoy had nearly cursed her, but at the last second merely asked her to leave and never return. 

The reaction of other wizards and non-wizards was also very interesting. The attitudes of the goblins she managed to talk to were quite mixed; many had very little sympathy for purebloods, and others had pointedly told her that because Nihilo appeared to be a nonwizard himself, that eventually a backlash would develop against creatures like themselves or the house elves. To her dismay, some wizards expressed just that opinion to her: 'the purebloods were the ones who supported the Dark Lord, and now they're taking it out on all wizards!' Lily decided not to write about these opinions in detail. _At this time, we have to be united, and not let the past divide us._ A breach of her journalistic ethos, probably, but she was no longer naïve enough to believe that her perspective in the matter was limited only to the reporting aspect.

_Who is Nihilo?_ Lily was fascinated by the question, and despite her aunt's request and her own promise, she discretely researched the issue. The sum total of modern day literature on Great Elves would hardly fill a bookshelf, and much of that was merely retellings of the oldest of oral stories, even folk tales. '_Long ago, when the Great Elves walked the world with man, they taught wizards the secrets of Magic…'_ Most of them began in that way, but what was intriguing was how different the endings were. Some of the tales said Great Elves and wizards fought a terrible war, and were utterly slaughtered in defeat; others say they were magically enslaved, and that their defeated, humiliated descendants were none other than the House Elves themselves. _Merlin's beard, I hope that's not true! _Others simply said that they left, either weary of their squabbles with wizards, or perhaps seeking new realms to explore, entrusting that wizards could now exercise dominion over the world. _That one's probably wrong,_ Lily thought sourly.

A troubling recollection preoccupied Lily: Damath's tale mentioned that the artisan met some 'nonhuman' figure, who gave him his powers to destroy magic. _Did the Great Elves have that ability? Could they have destroyed themselves with it? _Every account stated that Great Elves had not been seen for many thousands of years, not since the very beginnings of wizarding society. _So if Nihilo is a Great Elf, where did he come from? _Was his presence a sign that the Great Elves were returning? Or perhaps, was Nihilo once a House Elf, who learned of his (possible) heritage, and somehow transformed himself back into his original form—and vowed to seek vengeance on the wizards who enslaved his race? That possibility made Lily shiver. _Wizards have mistreated House Elves, as my dad and aunt have reminded me. Are we now being forced to drink a noxious potion of our own brewing?_ After considering the argument, Lily totally rejected the idea that Nihilo was somehow justified in his actions, but the idea continued to trouble her. _My dad told me about the sacrifice of Dobby the House Elf he had freed. Could other House Elves still be angry at the death of him at the hands of wizards? Maybe the other House Elf he knew, Creature I think his name was. _And she vaguely remembered another House Elf, a female one, where something very bad happened with her, and her dad was involved somehow. _Maybe she wanted revenge?_

It was useless speculation in the end, but unavoidable nonetheless. And as Nihilo's deadline approached, she felt increasingly nervous about what would happen next.

* * *

At the end of the week, a nervous anticipation had descended on the entire wizarding world. Lily could see it build every day: fewer and fewer people about, and those who were seemed to be in an awful hurry. For her part, she tended to travel fully cloaked, so that no one would recognize her. It seemed such a trivial precaution, but she resolutely refused to hide in the shadows under the face of this unseen threat.

Huffing now, she hurried to get to the plaza outside the Ministry of Magic, where Minister Shacklebolt would soon make a public comment on the threat. As she approached the great open space, she noticed the extent of security precautions: giant trolls stood watch at every corner, unsmiling, towering over nervous wizards who quickly deigned to move out of their presence as fast as possible. In the air, Aurors patrolled in great numbers. A vast shimmering curtain surrounded the square, preventing Apparation and detecting any concealed magical items. People trying to enter were carefully searched as they approached. She was no different, being told to raise her arms and let the Probity Probes do their thing. _Actually, it's a bit reassuring!_

She was now inside the protected area of the plaza, amidst a crowd that was not quite as numerous as a week ago, but still considerable. Many were reporters like herself; others clearly showed worry on their faces. More than a few, she noted with dismay, had looks of anger, fury, and hatred; clearly they were hoping for news that would satiate their desires for punishment, for revenge.

Shacklebolt strode grimly to the podium, flanked by two Aurors. He wasted no time in pleasantries: in an amplified voice, he said: "Witches and wizards, a week ago the criminal Nihilo engaged in a heinous unprovoked attack against our fellow citizens. I assure you that they are now receiving the best care possible at St. Mungo's. No effort will be spared to find a cure for their affliction.

"As you know, Nihilo demanded that we slaughter or turn over to him innocent individuals merely on the basis of their blood background. I need not remind anyone here that such talk is but the mirror image of the Dark Lord's own twisted and evil visions, and we reject out of hand any notion that those who were the Dark Lord's followers have not received the full measure of wizard justice.

"I will only say this once: to Nihilo, you have until the end of the day to surrender yourself and submit to the judgment of the Ministry. If you do not, the Aurors will use whatever force is necessary to stop you. There will be no negotiations, no conditions. The terms are unalterable: surrender or be destroyed."

Lily could imagine these stern words echoing in every corner, every village of the wizarding world. There was no doubt Nihilo could hear his words, the only question was what the response would be. Shacklebolt paused for breath, then prepare to speak again—

—a shout came from across the plaza. Heads turned: Lily could see a figure, wearing a dark purple robe, inhuman: great slitted-pupil yellow eyes stared back, with batlike ears and sharp teeth. It was inside the field, but Lily had never seen it enter. Smiling, a magically-amplified voice it responded: "Experience the full measure of our response."

Several Aurors flying over ahead fired Stunning spells at Nihilo. They had no effect. Lily was terrified: there was no way to stop him! If she stayed, she would be robbed of her magical ability or worse. As the other Aurors on the ground rushed to confront Nihilo she began to run; then there was another scream.

Lily jerked her head around; something Apparated onto the podium next to Shacklebolt. It was another Great Elf! Shacklebolt immediately sent a Killing Curse at the new threat. It vanished before even touching him. The Great Elf approached; before Shacklebolt could draw his wand, it seized him. There was a puff of red smoke, and suddenly he staggered. The Great Elf grinned like a shark, then faced the terrified crowd, holding Shacklebolt's arm in his grip.

"Minister Shacklebolt's term of office officially ends now," the Elf hissed; his voice sounded different, almost feminine. "On account that he is no longer a wizard!"

There were screams of terror. "So be it Wizards. The crimes of the pureblood become the crimes of all. You shall be punished accordingly. This is the word of Nihila." Suddenly she vanished, as did Nihilo.

Other witches and wizards began crowding around Shackelbolt, who was struggling feebly. Lily stood in place, still trying to process the terrible events that had just happened.

"Lily!" She jerked her head; someone from above called out her name. Looking up, she saw her father, perched on a broom – he had been one of the Aurors patrolling overhead.

"Dad!" Having gotten her attention, he flew slowly off towards a clearing. She followed as best as she could, against the tide of wizards who rushed forward to see Shacklebolt.

They embraced fiercely, but his look was furious: "What are you doing here?"

"My job," she said just as fiercely. "Dad, I know how Nihilo's anti-magic power works—"

"Leave that to us," he said crossly.

"I'm too deeply involved, now, you can't shut me out, you need me!"

Suddenly he grinned. "I do need you, but not in that way."

Lily was simultaneously furious and terrified. It made her response that much more vigorous: "I have a connection to this, not just through you. I've been a help! Use me, or we will all end up like poor Kingsley over there!" She pointed brutally in his direction.

Her father stared at her, his face hard yet concerned. "Whatever you do, be careful. I have to go." He ran towards Shackelbolt. _I think Dad has given me an invitation to be involved, but prudently. _Lily raced to leave the plaza; she needed time to think of a plan.

* * *

For the first time in a long time, Lily intentionally avoided looking or listening to at any other news media. Even with her own paper, she studiously ignored the increasingly-sensationalist headlines, which were tame compared to others she had the misfortune to hear of: "'Wizards Meet Their Match!' 'Revenge of the Muggles?' 'Panic in Wizarding World Grows: Is There No Escape?'"

That this was an unprecedented crisis was brought home to her by her boss's reaction. When she asked him what assignment she should take on, he listlessly said, "Whatever. It may not matter now." He was nervous yet resigned, a curious reaction from such a confident wizard. He came in to work less and less often, and with no guidance from the top, the different departments began to do their own thing. Perhaps this was not a unique occurrence: even once-reputable papers like the _Daily Prophet_ were printing more and more outlandish stuff.

What had been a trickle became a torrent: wizards and witches were fleeing the cities and towns, heading to the woods and hills, hoping to find some shelter from whatever this threat was. Lily had no illusions on that score: wherever a wizard could go, another could follow, especially one who could undo magic. But it was strange to see Diagon Alley virtually deserted; only a handful of witches and wizards were about, and they were positively running to get where they wanted.

Her mother and father had gotten into an ill-disguised shouting match about whether the children should be allowed to go out and about. _'Children'? Hello! We're of age, or did you forget?_ Lily sighed; no doubt, parents would always see their children as little ones to be protected, no matter what. In the end, nothing happened. For once, though, their concern became touching rather than exasperating. _Too bad it took a crisis like this to bring it on!_

Lily was reading a scroll just delivered by owl from Rose. It was not encouraging reading:

…_we've been doing everything we can to treat Shacklebolt, but none of our treatments seem to work, not even the most simplest of magical cures. Aside from his new condition _(Lily started at her cousin's euphemism of what had happened to Kingsley) _he seems to be okay, although more afflicted with elderly infirmities. One of the Healers has hypothesized that since whatever happened to him robbed him of his magicality, magical remedies would no longer work on him, so we are bringing in some Muggle 'doctors', I believe they're called, to assist. I'm skeptical, but it's all we've got for now._

_Be careful Ferret!_

_Love,  
Rose_

_Okay, that's that. Now for new business—or actually, old business. _Lily got up and headed for the door. She Apparated to the Ministry, then made a beeline for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

* * *

"I'm very busy, Lily, so please be brief—"

"What happened to the blood we found?"

"It's being investigated, of course."

"But it's not!" Her aunt looked at her blandly. "I've asked around the Ministry, no one seems to be working on it. What's going on?" She tried hard to keep the concern from her voice.

Her aunt smiled. "You're right, no one at the Ministry is working on it." Before Lily could give her outraged reply, she held up her hand. "Our experience at the tomb convinced me that whatever we were up against, magical inquiry might not be sufficient. After a short inquiry, my other colleagues agreed. So the blood is now being investigated by… another school of experts."

"Who?"

"Muggles."

Of all the answers to her question that was the last thing she expected. "Muggles? How could they possibly be of any help to us in this situation?"

Her aunt raised an eyebrow; Lily knew that to be an implicit gesture of reproach. "You may be surprised by what Muggles can do. I should know, once being one myself," she said bemusedly.

Heatedly, Lily objected: "Aunt Hermione, you may be Muggle-born, but you were never one of them!"

"Not anymore," she said, the sadness in her voice unmistakable. "But that's neither here nor there. I sent the blood to a Muggle investigator—a 'scientist' as they're called. He may be of some use yet."

"But Muggles can't do—er, don't believe in magic," Lily said, repeating the standard wizard view. "How can they be any help?"

"I don't know yet, but we have to try. And it should be noted their investigator has… a unique view of things. One might say he has a foot in both worlds."

Lily was utterly confused by her words. Perhaps sensing that, her aunt continued: "His name is Martin Andrews, and he's currently at a Muggle school called Oxford. I think it would be a good idea for you to meet him. What do you think?"

An uncomfortable thrill filled her: to her knowledge, Lily had never interacted with a Muggle before. "Okay," she said hesitantly.

Her aunt laughed. "Don't worry, Lily, they don't bite!" Looking at her reaction, she said more seriously. "They are, after all, human just like we are. They have a stake in this, and hopefully they can help. Here is his address." A small card flew into her hands. "You might want to wear Muggle attire when you meet him. Good luck, Lily!"

Taking her words as a dismissal, she said "Thank you, aunt Hermione. Good bye."

* * *

Still itching in the unfamiliar blue jeans, making her way on clumsy footware her mother called 'trainers', Lily walked across the campus of Oxford School—or, 'University' as they called it. She found the architecture surprisingly familiar, a far cry from the harsh geometric shapes of modern Muggle buildings. Entering the building whose name was on the card, there was a woman at a desk. "Can I help you, madam?" she asked.

Clearing her throat, she said, "Yes, I'm looking for a Martin Andrews. He's been expecting me."

"What's your name?"

"Lily Potter."

"Lily Potter," the woman repeated. Looking at a pad of paper, she said: "Ah, yes, his 2 o'clock appointment. I'll let him know you're here." She took up a strange but familiar device, one which her grandfather had showed her once—a fellytone. After a while she put it down and said, "Professor Andrews doesn't appear to be in his office, perhaps he's in the lab. Would you like to see if he's there?"

"Yes, please."

"His laboratory is in the basement, three floors down. Go down the hall and make a left, the elevators are there."

"Thank you." Lily went deeper inside the Muggle complex. She came to the elevators, then hesitated: her distrust of Muggles extended to their substitute for magic, or 'technology' as her aunt called it. To her relief, there was a set of stairs.

She went down to the basement, then looked for signs for this 'laboratory', whatever that meant. It was to her left. After walking some time, she came to a door:

**Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory – Addison Wing  
All Personnel Must Wear Goggles!**

She tried to open the door, and found it was unlocked. Tentatively, she stepped inside. There was a bewildering array of unfamiliar things, but in a vague sense she was reminded of the Potions classroom at Hogwarts. Indeed, at one of the tables, sitting in front of a clear glass cauldron filled with smoking liquids, was a man who could only be Martin Andrews.

"Professor Anderson?" she called out.

"Yes, that's me. Are you Lily Potter? Pleased to meet you!" He got off his stool and came over to her. He was a short man, shorter than her, with sandy-brown hair and eyes. Assuming Muggles aged like wizards, he was perhaps a little older than her brother James, late twenties or so. There was a pleasant smile on his face.

"Thank you, Professor," she replied, unable to keep from staring in fascination. _A Muggle, live and in person!_

"I guess you're wondering what a Muggle like me has to do with the wizarding world," he began. She merely nodded, not speaking out of surprise to his accurate assessment. "Well, first, I should say, I'm not quite a Muggle; I'm a Squib."

"Oh! I—see," she said, catching herself before she said what she originally intended, which was 'Sorry'.

The smile faded, but only a bit. "My parents were witches and wizards, so I'm told… I guess it's better this way, having Squibs be part of a world that accepts them, rather than one that never would. I was adopted into a Muggle family not long after I was born." His voice was somewhat distant; not angry, but perhaps regretful?

Lily was saddened by the words; although she reluctantly agreed with the ideas behind the policy, when confronted with it in person, it didn't feel so right; it almost felt like an injustice. _Put that aside; to business. _But there was still one personal question she wanted to know: "So how did you reconnect to the magical world?"

Now he smiled. "Good question! A while ago, not long after I graduated from university, a wizard contacted me; it was quite a shock to finally learn the truth! He asked if I wanted to be part of a Muggle-Wizard cooperation team. I agreed. My job has been to try to understand the magical world from a scientific perspective. It hasn't been easy, let me tell you!" He laughed again, the genuineness of his humor and good-nature fast-becoming appealing to her.

"I… I don't quite understand," she confessed.

"I don't entirely understand either—magic, that is—but more of that later. Right now we have an urgent matter to deal with, yes?"

"Yes," she agreed. "I am actually just a reporter for the… wizarding news services. I've been… allowed to investigate what the Ministry is doing regarding this problem."

"Indeed, very interesting! Our worlds aren't so different after all. Except for that magic thing, of course."

_Of course, magic isn't just a little thing_—_or is it? _As she pondered the real significance of their differences, he gestured to her. "Come over here, you'll find this interesting."

She did, and now she was standing next to him by his worktable. There was a clear dish filled with slightly reddish water in front of him.

"This is an extract of that blood sample the Ministry sent me, diluted in some water." Abruptly he placed his finger in it.

"No!" Lily cried. He grinned.

"Don't worry; remember, I'm a Squib," he said easily. "I've tested this blood solution on numerous creatures in our world, and it has no effect on the non-magical."

"But magical individuals…"

"See, that's the thing, it doesn't affect them either!"

"What? But I saw it happen, whenever that blood came in contact with something magical, it destroyed it!"

"Yes, but curious what happens now." He scooped up some of the water in a clear flask, then said: "Follow me." She did so, and they went into a locked room, which was filled with boxes and covered containers.

"Come here, you're probably more familiar with what's in this room than I." They went to a large covered tank. When he removed the tarp, she gasped at the small creature swimming around inside.

"That's a kappa!" she said, instantly remembering from her third-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"Indeed. As a magical creature, if this blood was still active, pouring it into the tank will kill it or worse. Watch what happens." Before Lily could object, he poured a few drops inside. There was no effect; the kappa merely continued to swim, angry, bearing its teeth at them when they approached the side of the glass.

"I don't understand, why is it not working?"

"I have a theory. The wizards from the Ministry told me what this blood's effects were, and gave me these magical creatures to experiment on. Yet as soon as I tested it on a magical subject, it had no effect. I couldn't understand, but not long before you arrived, I finally had an idea." He paused. "Would you object if we killed this creature in the name of researching this blood?"

Lily flinched at the brutal honesty of the words. "It's for a good cause, to save the wizarding world," he began.

Lily hesitated. "Well… kappas are considered dangerous pests… I suppose it won't hurt."

"Good. This is where I need your help especially." Lily was startled. Grinning, he said: "I need you to make this solution magical."

"What? How do I do that?"

"I don't know, you're the witch." Smiling, he was silent for a while. "You have your wand with you, yes?" She nodded. "Do you know any spell which can make something, I don't know, stronger, more potent? Anything that will magically transform this blood in some way, although not alter it completely. If you know of a such a spell, cast it on this solution, and we'll see what happens."

Lily was amazed at what she had to do, but quickly cast all doubt from her mind. _Make something stronger…_ "Maybe this one." Martin quickly put the flask on the table and stepped back. Lily took out her wand, pointed it at the solution and said, "_Rennervate"._ The solution bubbled a bit, but otherwise nothing else happened.

Martin's eyes widened, but he said nothing. Carefully, he picked up the flask, then poured a few drops in. For a moment nothing happened, then suddenly the kappa screeched. Flailing wildly, it seemed to disintegrate. Vanishing behind a dark cloud, all motion ceased, and when it cleared, only unknown chunks of grey powder drifted down to the floor of the tank.

Martin was overjoyed, clapping his hands; Lily meanwhile stared in shock. "Just as I suspected! When in the presence of magic, this blood reacts and removes the magical-nature of anything it comes into contact with. But when it's beyond any magical influence, it reverts back to what it normally is—mere blood."

"But… but… isn't that a contradiction? How can something be magical and anti-magical at the same time?"

"Another good question." They left the room; he locked it behind himself, then they sat at the table. "Let's think this through logically. I know that in general, magical acts work on and in the non-magical world. Right?"

Greatly daring, she pointed her wand at a stack of papers, which made them turn into paper airplanes. They flew about the room, then with another flick of her wand she made them go back into the pile, as if they were never touched.

"Isn't there a Wizard law against that?" he said wolfishly.

Lily pouted in innocent protestation, like she often did with her parents. "I won't tell if you don't."

Martin's eyes sparkled. "Agreed! Now, in certain circumstances, I would also hypothesize the non-magical can affect the magical. But I—and I'm sure, you—have never heard of something from the non-magical world completely negating the powers of magic. Therefore, whatever this is," he held up the flask, "it was probably created by magic."

"But there's no known magic that can do this; none that I know of, at least," she said, shuddering at the memory of the plaza and what happened to Shacklebolt.

"Really, I thought magic could do anything," he said softly. Martin shook his head. "I mean, there's so much you can do in the magical world that you can't do in the real world—er, my world," he added apologetically.

Lily nodded, deep in thought. "So how did Voldemort make it into a weapon?" she asked herself.

"Excuse me?"

Lily took a deep breath. _I hope I'm not violating any secrecy laws now. But if I am, the circumstances justify it; perhaps Martin here can come up with a solution. _"We think originally… another magical being turned a…non-magical person's blood into this. It allowed him to withstand any magical spells cast on him, and when he came into physical contact with someone, rob them of their magical powers." Martin nodded, his eyes rapt in attention. Lily continued: "We found this blood buried in a magical grave, more than a thousand years later. It was still potent, resistant to any magical spell cast on it. But we were not the first; someone else discovered it, years earlier. If what you're saying is correct, this person—his name was Voldemort, he was a very dangerous wizard—could not have used magic to work with it, because any use of magic on it would not only not be effective, but make it dangerous for any witch or wizard to even touch." She paused. "This was also a long time ago, more than thirty years, maybe more than fifty. Maybe he never used it at all; history does not have any records of Voldemort having or using this stuff. Unfortunately, it appears another person has come across this grave, took the blood, and is using it to attack the wizarding world. What we need is something to counter it."

Martin nodded again in understanding. "Nothing magical will resist this, but I think I may have the answer: if you use non-magical methods, this substance will have no effect."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's try another experiment: can you conjure a flask for me?"

"Sure." Lily pointed her wand at the table, and a flask appeared out of nowhere.

Martin stared again. "How do you do that… anyway, watch what happens." He poured some of the blood solution into the conjured flask; just like back at Slytherin's Tomb, the flask disintegrated on contact, and the water spilled out on the table. Martin smiled. "Now, let's use my old coffee mug." He poured the solution into the mug; nothing happened to it.

Lily said: "I think I understand now: this blood won't work on anything non-magical." Thinking back, that was how her uncle's cloak could safely contain the blood through Apparation: it had been hand-knitted by her grandmother.

"Exactly. You can protect something from this blood using non-magical barriers. A wall, a pile of stone, things like that. But it has to be done without magic."

"What about wizards and witches? How would you be able to protect them?"

"That's a tougher issue. Let me work on it some more." He got up. "I need to get back to affairs in my world. It's been a pleasure, Lily. I hope we can see each other again."

"I agree; thank you, Martin! You've been a big help!"

"You're very welcome. Here, I'll show you the door." When they were outside, he came up to her and whispered. "One more time, can I see you do magic? I may be a scientist, and officially I don't believe in that stuff, but it's just so amazing what you can do…"

Lily nodded, suddenly wishing that there was a cure for Squibness. "If you're a Squib, technically you're not a Muggle. But we should be careful. Let's go over there…"

They went to a deserted part of campus, behind some trees. "I'm about to Apparate away - instantly transport myself from here to another location. Maybe someday later, I can show you my world just like you showed me yours."

Again he shook his head in wonderment. "Teleportation. It just might be scientifically possible, but for you witches it's just a matter of course." He seemed down, but brightened, perhaps out of deliberate effort. "Okay, off you go!"

"Good-bye Martin!" She raised her wand and with a flash he was gone; now she was back on Diagon Alley.

* * *

_What a productive afternoon!_ Lily's spirits were suddenly brightened; suddenly, Nihilo and Nihilia didn't seem so invincible anymore. _I've got to send an owl to the Ministry, let them know._

Lily went to a café and began writing furiously. As soon as she finished, she summoned an owl and sent it on her way. Right after she did so, a thunderbolt of a realization hit her: _The Squib of Fate!_

Damath had warned in a prophecy he heard from Slytherin himself, to beware someone called The Squib of Fate. They had failed to recover the prophecy, and as her aunt admonished her when she brought up the subject, 'Prophecies are never to be trusted or relied upon – our fate is in our hands, and if they aren't, act as if they are.' But everything Damath had said appeared to be true, and if he was worried about a future Squib who might be related to the power of the artisan to destroy magic…

…_Squib of Fate could mean anything. So Martin's a Squib, if he was working with Nihilo, he wouldn't have told me how to neutralize the artisan's blood. He's on our side, he has to be!_

Lily tried to reassure herself with those words. But comfort was not soon coming. Instead, her mind came up with new and greater worries: _Martin has the blood. He knows now how to make it work. Could he make more of it? _Not magically, but were there Muggle ways to do it? _Could he use it to wreak vengeance on wizards, since they abandoned him as a child—like the Dark One? _

Suddenly Lily was ill with worry. _Have I created The Squib of Fate-and doomed wizardry to extinction? _An Owl would not be enough; she had to warn her Aunt immediately!


	12. Chapter 12 Dumbledore Again

**Chapter 12 - Dumbledore Again  
**

* * *

Lily tried to remain calm as she reported everything she had learned from Martin Andrews to Aunt Hermione. To her surprise and annoyance, her aunt had hardly reacted at all. Instead, she merely said in a patient tone of voice: "Lily, Martin Andrews is certainly not this 'Squib of Fate'."

"But Aunt Hermione, there is a prophecy about a Squib of Fate," Lily replied, trying to keep her response calm.

"It is very dangerous to set store by prophecies, Lily. You need only think of what happened to Voldemort himself to know that."

"But remember what we found at Slytherin's Tomb! Damath himself was afraid—"

"—until we hear the exact words of that prophecy, this is all but speculation atop speculation." She gazed at her over her spectacles. "A reporter such as you should know better."

Lily sighed; obviously there was no point in pursuing the argument any further. "Very well. Do you think the Muggle's information will help us at all?"

"That's Martin Andrews—'Professor' Andrews, no less," Aunt Hermione chided gently. "It is most interesting—indeed, I do not know if we could have come up with the same finding from a purely witch or wizard perspective." She paused, lost in thought. "There's something else, though, something odd about all this."

"What is it?"

Aunt Hermione was silent, then suddenly her eyes bulged open wide. "Of course! It was staring us right in the face!"

"What?"

"Nihilo and Nihila – they were immune to magical attacks by the Aurors. But they themselves used magic as well—to Apparate and Disapparate outside the Ministry. Which means this antimagical weapon they constructed from that artisan's blood has a weakness; somehow, it is not entirely foolproof."

Lily's spirits were buoyed. "Do you think that will help you stop them?"

"We'll see." She stood up. "I must relay your findings and my hypothesis to the rest of the Ministry. In the mean time, not a word of this to anyone, understood?"

Lily nodded. "Then good day, Lily. And be careful"

"Good-bye, Aunt Hermione. I promise I will."

* * *

For the first time since becoming involved in this crisis, Lily felt some reassurance that a resolution was at hand. _Whoever Nihilo and Nihila are, they are no match for the combined resources of the Wizarding world,_ she had thought with relief upon leaving the Ministry.

As the days passed by, however, Lily's sense of optimism began to fade. There had been no confirmed reports of additional attacks by Nihilo and Nihila, but plenty of rumored ones. Lily noted with dismay that many of the rumors seemed to be prompted by a wizard and witch with scores to settle against another. They would then whisper that their rival had been turned into a Squib, causing heated denials and recriminations. Others of a more pranksterish bent even seemed to be spreading such stories at random. _How can people joke about this now?_

Other rumors were spreading like wildfire everywhere—that the corridors of St. Mungo's were overflowing with wizards turned to Squibs, or that the new interim Minister of Magic, Raefus Arstellar, had abandoned his post and fled to a distant Muggle land. Her sister vehemently denied the St. Mungo's rumor, while her father said the rumors about Arstellar were ridiculous and too absurd to comment on. Lily was unable to suppress a sardonic grin when she pointed out that his words were not a denial. In response, her father merely scowled and said nothing.

But it was not the latest rumor that caught Lily's eye one day as she walked down a near-deserted Diagon Alley. It was, instead, the latest edition of _The Quibbler_, with perhaps the most outrageous headline that had ever been placed on its cover page:

THE WIZARDING WORLD IS DOOMED!

Against her better judgment Lily paid the fifty Knuts and began to read:

* * *

_**Special Message from The Editor:**_

_Fellow Witches and Wizards, _

_ The twilight hour is upon us all. The recent events involving Nihilo and Nihila portend nothing less than the final end of the Wizarding World. Magic itself has forsaken us; after countless millennia, we are no longer deemed worthy of the gift of Magic. All we can do as honorable witches and wizards is to prepare ourselves for the coming end, and reflect on the reasons for our coming fate…_

* * *

…After reading a few more paragraphs, Lily was literally at a loss for words. _I have read a lot of rubbish in my life, but this is Prize Cup of garbage!_ The editor, none other than her godmother's father (would that make him her god-grandfather?), listed no fewer than 144 reasons for the end of wizards, not one of which made any sense whatsoever.

Lily had no doubt that the current situation was serious, perhaps as or even more serious than what her father had faced years ago. But such rantings, bereft of any measured thought or consideration, was worse than useless; an unneeded inducement to panic. _I should go over there and Petrificus Totalus Mister Lovegood until the crisis ends,_ Lily thought sourly.

When Lily returned to _The Wizarding Weekly, _one of Lily's colleagues did confirm a rumor, to her great dismay: for the first time in almost a hundred years, Hogwarts would be closed down for the duration of the emergency. _Magical defenses are as nothing to the powers of these Great Elves,_ Lily thought morosely. _Perhaps it's for the better that they are doing this._ And thinking about it further, Lily decided she knew what her next story would be.

* * *

From outside the locked main gates, nothing about the Hogwarts castle seemed out of the ordinary. But to Lily's practiced eyes and ears, the peaceful twilight stillness was itself evidence of an anomalous situation. _No sounds of students, no magical buzz in the air._

The last of the students had departed a few days ago, and Lily had wanted to interview to a member of the staff about the decision to close the school. Her owl had gone unanswered, so she decided a more personal effort would be needed.

"I know you're in there, please open up!" Even as she said the words she winced at the feebleness of her demand. _Why not ask for a second helping of treacle tarts at the same time? _Still, it just wasn't her style to be indirect about anything. _And making a spectacle of oneself is often the best way to keep from being ignored. 'Never let yourself be ignored', her boss had told her more than once. 'Any reaction, good or bad, is better than none at all.' _Unfortunately, being ignored was exactly what was happening.

_I can wait._ Lily did so, for nearly an hour, until a single solitary figure approached.

"Miss Potter," came the laconic reply.

Lily bit her lip. "Professor Zabini, thank you for your time." _Too bad it wasn't Uncle Neville—_

"—there is nothing more that need be said, the current emergency left us with no choice but to close the school and send our students home to their families." He frowned. "Any further disclosures of information may jeopardize the security of the school."

Lily pressed him. "Do you really believe the students are safer at home than at Hogwarts? If there is any magic that can stand against the Great Elves, surely Hogwarts would have it?"

Zabini's dark complexion darkened even further. "Never put all your dragon eggs in the same basket, Miss Potter."

Lily got mad at the putdown. Blood rising in her veins, she hotly retorted: "Surely the staff at Hogwarts and the Ministry have better ideas to protect us than mere sloganeering!"

To his credit, Professor Zabini did not rise to the bait. "All I can say is, we are better protected here than you may think. Even so, the risk of failure is such that there was no other option." He paused. "That is all I may say," he said softly. "But if you look at the ramparts, the answers are fluttering in the breeze."

Lily looked up. All atop the fences surrounding the castle were numerous small red flags, evenly spaced, waving gently in the air. She had never seen them before, although admittedly she could not remember the last time ever looking up there in the first place.

"What is it? What are they?"

Zabini said nothing, merely raising an eyebrow. "The answer is closer than you may think," he said in a surprisingly wry tone of voice. Before she could respond, he turned and walked away.

"Wait!" But he was soon gone. Once again alone, Lily pondered his words. _Is Hogwarts being defended somehow against Nihilo? And what would those flags, if anything, have to do with it?_

The sun was beginning to set. Lily was about to leave when she heard a popping sound: someone had just Apparated, not far from where she was. Even in normal times it was not necessarily a good thing to hear; in these dangerous times, it was a portent of disaster.

It was too late for her to move without drawing attention, so Lily instantly did what her father had taught her to do in such a situation; she cast a Disillusionment Charm upon herself. Immediately she became a glass figure, transparent to everything. Looking down, the ground showed through where her feet and legs were. Holding out her arms in front of her, she saw nothing but orange sky.

Now Lily carefully turned her head to see who had Apparated in—and used every bit of willpower not to scream. Not twenty feet from her stood Nihilo and Nihila: the Great Elves. About her height, they wore nothing but those purple robes she remembered seeing them in back in front of the Ministry. Without saying a word, they approached the front gate.

_Say nothing, do nothing. Be still and silent as the night. Nothing will happen if you stay quiet… _Despite the words, she shivered, violently.

One of them—Lily thought it was Nihila, since it looked slightly feminine—raised its arm and pointed their fist at the gate. It was an odd gesture, almost as if she was holding something…

…BOOM! There was a flash, but the gate did not open. Nihila looked angry, baring sharp pointed teeth. Again she pointed, and again there was a tremendous bang, but the gate did not open. Back at the castle, lights suddenly appeared, and there was the distant noise of shouting.

The two Great Elves looked at each other; Nihila's feral scowl became even more ugly. The two of them stepped back, raised their right arms in the air, and vanished.

Lily raised her wand and undid the Disillusionment Charm; her wand hand was still shaking. Zabini was running towards the gate, along with several other adults; Lily's heart warmed to the fact that one of them was Uncle Neville.

"Potter! What happened?" Zabini asked sharply. "Why did you try to break into the castle?"

"It wasn't me; it was them!" Lily replied in a voice that was much too high for her liking.

"Who?"

"The Great Elves, Nihila and Nihilo! They tried to break into the castle, but they couldn't!"

The adults all stared at one another, the disbelief clear in their faces. Zabini said slowly, "Explain exactly what you saw."

Lily did so. The disbelief on their face faded, replaced by… relief? Lily couldn't say.

There was another _Snap!_ as someone else Apparated nearby. Instantly the others pointed their wands in that direction.

It was her father. "Fill me in on what happened," he said without delay.

"Uh, Harry," Uncle Neville said in a bemused voice. "Look behind you." He turned around and gaped.

Relief flooded Lily's heart. "Hi Daddy!"

His surprised look instantly turned to contorted fury. "Lily! What in Merlin's name—"

"—I was in the wrong place at the right time." Lily then retold the story she had just told the staff. "Looks like Aunt Hermione was on the right track, eh?"

All the adults except for her father stared in open-mouth astonishment. "How did you—"

"—she's a Potter, she's got the knack for knowing things she shouldn't." Her father was simultaneously bemused and exasperated.

"Mister Potter, this is a grievous breach of security," Zabini fumed, "you must discipline Miss Potter at once—"

"—nothing I do will match Ginny's fury, and neither of us can stop her, so all we can do is ask her to stay quiet for now." He stared at her over his glasses in an identical gesture to that of Aunt Hermione. "Can you do that, Miss Potter?"

"Of course, we're all on the same side, right?" Lily suppressed a grin.

His back to the rest of them, her father smiled as he said, "Right." Turning to face them, he said loudly, "Return to the castle and send a message to the Ministry to begin widespread deployment." There was some indistinct mumblings, but the other wizards turned and left.

All except Uncle Neville. "Harry, I had no idea Lily was here—"

"—no worries, Neville, this was one of those unfortunate coincidences." He paused. "Go back to the castle, I'll deal with Lily."

"Alright Harry. Let's hope this works." They shook hands, and Uncle Neville returned to the castle.

When they were alone, her father sighed. "You're either very lucky, or very unlucky, Lily."

"I'm still here, so no telling how long my _Felix Felices_ stash will last," she said in a light tone of voice.

It was entirely the wrong approach to take. "This is not a game, Lily!" Her father's voice was low and tight, a sure sign of how angry he was.

"I know! But they didn't see me, and whatever you did, worked, they couldn't get in."

Her father turned away – a sign that the argument was swinging in favor of her. "You know I told what that Muggle scientist, Martin Andrews, found out to Aunt Hermione. I assume you used it to figure out a defense against the Great Elves."

"Let's go Lily," he said loudly, taking her arm and walking away from the castle. She began to protest, but then understood - he was taking her out of earshot. Once they were far enough away, he spoke softly: "We took some of the blood Hermione found and weaved them into those flags. My guess is, Nihilo and Nihila have done the same with their robes. That's why magic doesn't work against them."

"But how could you do it? Wouldn't any wizard touching it be affected?"

"Not wizards; Muggles." Lily gasped, but before she could say anything he cut her off: "It's no risk to them, if that's what you're worried about. And the bad news is, while it works, we have almost no more blood samples left. So we can't protect anything but a handful of people or places."

"Okay." Lily struggled to process the information.

Her father faced her, a searching expression on his face. "I know your new line of work obligates you to disclose the truth. Would you be willing to suspend that obligation, in exchange for helping me and the Ministry stop the Great Elves?"

"That's a lot to ask of me," she answered truthfully.

"I have to ask a lot of many in troubled times. Sometimes I must even ask good witches and wizards to make the ultimate sacrifice."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. But I'm not asking that of you, all I want you to help us, help me."

"Me?" Lily tried hard to keep the surprise and awe out of her voice. The awe_…_ and the fear.

"You. Like a certain young boy who grew up in a cupboard I once knew, you have a knack for finding out vital information that is hard to find."

Lily suddenly found something in her throat was hindering her from speaking. "Alright, what do you want me to do?"

He smiled. "It's time I took you on the actual 'Harry Potter' tour of the Forbidden Forest."

* * *

As they meandered through the dark woods, Lily tried to fight off the impression that the tree branches were going to reach out and strangle them.

Her father was ahead of her, illuminated by his wandlight. "How're you doing Lily?"

"Fine, fine!" she said a little too quickly, too sharply.

He sighed. "Well, we've been searching all night, and nothing. Obviously it's not here."

Lily could not repress a shudder of awe. _The Resurrection Stone… _"You never decided to go back and look for it?"

Her father did not reply for some time. "I thought it was the right decision, just to let it disappear into history. It appears I was mistaken—I hope not."

"Why would Nihilo or Nihila want the Resurrection Stone?"

"Isn't it obvious? To get the secret of Voldermort's antimagic weapon."

Lily processed that startling argument. "So they communicated with the Dark One from beyond death?"

"Apparently."

Lily was stunned into silence at the enormity of the idea. But a problem immediately came to mind: "Hang on, how did they learn the secret in the first place?"

"Dunno." She waited for him to elaborate, but he did not. "Alright, now we have to do one more thing. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. Where are we going?"

"Follow me." She did so, and as the first hints of dawn became apparent, Lily realized with a jolt where they were headed to.

"Dumbledore's Tomb!" The gleaming white structure was ahead of them.

A horrible thought came to her head as they stood before it. "Dad, we're… we're not…"

"Of course not!" he replied harshly. Then he put his hand to his forehead and turned to her. "I'm sorry, Lily, I didn't mean to snap at you. No, we are not going to open the White Tomb. I'm just going to look for signs it has been tampered with."

He began walking slowly around the tomb, pointing his wand at it all the time, mouthing silently. Abruptly he stopped, frowning. "Someone has tampered with the Sealing Charm," he said curtly.

Lily took out her wand, eager to not just stand aside and watch things happen. "May I?" Her father smiled and stepped aside. In a loud voice she cried: _"Abierta."_

Nothing happened. Lily was confused. "But the Charm is still in place."

"Indeed, but not the Charm we put on it years ago."

"We?"

"Me and a few friends. Magic leaves traces, and this is not my handiwork, I'm sure."

Lily considered further, still confused. "I don't understand, if the charm were successfully broken, an alarm would have gone off in the Ministry, right?" That was how Sealing Charms were supposed to work on, for example, valuable items stored in the home.

"For most charm-breaking magic yes. But we're dealing with a much more powerful anti-magical enemy, as I'm sure you know."

Now it hit Lily like a thunderclap. "They used the blood to break the charm! That means they have the Elder Wand!".

Her father nodded grimly. "But, they wouldn't have its powers, would they? It would still only work for you, right?"

"I think so… I thought so," he said distantly. "This is most alarming. It seems our Great Elves have been planning their revenge for a long time, and they have two of the Hallows to aid them."

"Well, we don't _know_ they have the Stone, do they?"

"No, we don't, and it may be dangerous to assume one way or the other. Still…" her father fell silent again, staring at the otherwise pristine tomb of Dumbledore.

"Now what do we do? Shall we go back to the Ministry?"

"No, there's one last thing we can do."

* * *

As dawn turned to day, Lily found it very discomfiting to walk through a completely empty Hogwarts castle. But that was insignificant compared to the unease of what her father had proposed.

"Dad, it's just a portrait, a shadow of the deceased," Lily said as they ascended the stairs to the Headmistress's office. "What could it possibly know or do that would be of use to us?"

"Professor Dumbledore was skilled beyond measure," her father replied. "I have good reason to believe his portrait may be able to help us." He said nothing more, and before Lily could object he turned around and flashed her a warning look. _Even though he's made me his partner in this, he's still reticent about talking about the old days._

They stepped into the lavish office and began searching. Headmaster Dumbledore's portrait was at the base of the stairs; he was sleeping peacefully inside. Taking her hand, her father approached. He tapped the portrait with his wand and said, "Excuse me, Professor." With a start the portrait awoke. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, then reached for his spectacles. Staring for a second, a sudden look of recognition burst upon his face.

"Harry? Is that you?"

"Always your servant, sir," he said in a surprisingly respectful tone of voice. He even bowed slightly.

The Dumbledore portrait clapped his hands together and let out a happy sound. "What a delightful surprise! I didn't recognize you at first, of course, clearly it has been many years." He paused, scrutinizing him further. "You now wear the handsome features of a mature man of middle age. Twenty years, twenty five?"

"Almost thirty, sir."

He nodded happily, then for the first time turned his eyes towards Lily. "Professor, I would like you to meet my youngest child, Lily Luna Potter."

"What a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Potter!" Smiling, he continued: "You bear more than a passing resemblance to a Ginevra Weasley I once knew. I take it she is your mother, yes?"

"Yes, sir," Lily managed to reply.

"Wonderful. Harry, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to know you now enjoy the blessings and responsibilities of family life."

"Thank you, sir," her father replied, "you're most kind."

The portrait's smile abruptly faded. "Thirty years since last you stood before me, yet here you are again. It is safe to assume this visit is not a social one, then."

"No sir. We need your help for a grave danger to the Wizarding world."

"Oh dear, oh dear." The portrait Dumbledore called out to the other portraits and said, "All of you, find out what you can." The other Headmasters and Headmistresses took off.

"Of course I will do what I can. Please tell me—"

"Headmaster, the school is deserted," came a sour laconic reply from a portrait figure that had appeared by Dumbledore's side.

"The reason?"

"I have been unable to determine it, and without any other portraits to exchange with—"

"—Thank you. Severus, I do believe re-introductions are in order. This is—"

"—Potter! I recognize those insolent features anywhere. No doubt, Headmaster, Mister Potter is once again up to his singular mischief."

"Good to see you, too, Severus," her father said wryly.

"'Severus?' Why you arrogant cur! Address me as 'Professor' or 'Sir', Mister Potter!"

"I would ask likewise of you, too, Severus—sorry, _Mister_ Snape!"

In a weary tone of voice portrait Dumbledore said: "Enough of this bickering, Severus, please, you may go."

"Of course, Headmaster." The sallow, black-haired man stared sourly at them. "Potter," he said sourly, and returned back to his portrait.

"He must have been quite a character back then," Lily said diplomatically.

"You have no idea," her father and the portrait said simultaneously. They all laughed despite themselves.

"One moment, Harry, the other portraits are returning." He was then surrounded by a flock of other portrait figures, all of them whispering furtively. Dumbledore nodded and dismissed them.

"This appears to be a most serious situation, indeed, Harry."

"Sir, do you have know anything that might be able to help us?"

He shook his head sadly. "I'm very sorry, Harry, but I'm afraid I do not."

Her father smiled, but he looked agitated. "Sir, there's no need to _withhold_ information from me anymore—"

"—indeed not, but as I'm sure you've figured out for yourself, there are limits to what I can do for you from beyond the grave."

The words were as odd as they were chilling. Her father fell silent, unable to respond.

"Long ago, after Grindelwald was defeated, I pursued lines of inquiry in certain fields of magic, which may be of relevance to the problem you currently face." Dumbledore's voice was still ever-friendly, but there was a sad demeanor on his face, as if he were genuinely sorry about being unable to help. "But I only left behind that which could help you with the crisis then at hand." He gestured to the frame which surrounded him. "You have grown to become an accomplished, skillful wizard, I have learned. That is all to the good, because from where I am, I can no longer help you, and it is better you realize that now, and do not rely on my less-than-reliable counsel."

"Nothing more you can do to help us, then?" her father asked evenly.

"You have all the help you need, Harry. Don't be afraid to rely on those you trust. With them, I'm sure you will prevail."

Her father said nothing for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, sir. Even when you can't help, you're helpful. Good day."

"Good bye, Harry. And you, too, Lily." He bowed curtly towards her.

"Bye, Headmaster." She turned to leave, but Dumbledore called out again.

"Lily, one word of advice: continue to question and probe. You will aid your father best by being yourself."

"Uh, thank you, sir." With that, the portrait smiled and went back to sleep.

* * *

"That wasn't very helpful."

Her father sighed as they walked out the front gate. "Probably not. But the advice he gave is still correct: we have to rely on those we trust, and not be tempted to do it all on our own."

"Nothing you wouldn't have told us yourself," Lily said with a grin.

"Well, now you know my secret – for better or worse, Dumbledore has been a role model for me in many things." He smiled and gave her a hug. "Including being a father."

"Dad, please—"

"—I know you're disappointed we didn't get all the answers we'd hoped for here, but that's alright, whenever you're trying to solve a mystery inevitably you'll run into a few dead-ends. As a reporter, I'm sure you know that better than me."

"So what next?"

"I think Nihilo and Nihila are still looking for something, otherwise they would have carried out their threat. That's good and bad news: good because they haven't found it, bad because if they do find it they may be able to do their worst. We need to figure out what they're looking for, because we can't protect everything."

"That's what I'll follow up on, what they're looking for." Before her father could object, Lily said: "I know, it's dangerous, but as a witch of age, it's my right to fight to save our world, just as you do. We're partners, now, right?"

"Until your mother finds out."

"Dad…" Lily folded her arms in front of her and stared at him patiently, saying nothing.

Her father fidgeted, then finally relented. "Be careful."

"Of course." They hugged. "Love you!"

"Love you too. Take care."

* * *

More days passed by, but there were no more exciting (or terrifying) encounters such as that at Hogwarts. Lily was burning with curiosity as to the details of how they stopped Nihilo and Nihila outside Hogwarts._ Does this mean Nihilo and Nihila have been neutralized?_ Lily wanted to believe, but there was so much information she did not have, it was impossible to say.

As she went to bed each night, over and over those outlandish words from _The Quibbler_ kept echoing in her brain. _The Wizarding World is Doomed!_ The dreams were indistinct but fearsome, yet oddly enough, every morning when she woke up, the fears instantly abated. "Maybe so, but I'm not going to take the _Quibbler's_ word for it!" she chuckled to herself in the morning.

And yet… _Mum and Dad never said a word about the Deathly Hallows growing up. I knew that he had an Invisibility Cloak unlike any other, and that Voldemort had the Wand of Destiny, but that he was defeated… somehow, by my dad. I never heard about the Resurrection Stone from either of them, yet my godmother told me the story when I was growing up. She said whoever had all three of them would be Masters of Death._

_Now I discover the Resurrection Stone is real, and therefore the Deathly Hallows all exist. Is that what Nihilo and Nihila want? Does that mean what Godmother Luna said about them was true? And maybe my godmother's father, Xenophilius Lovegood, knows something even my father doesn't?_

It seemed crazy, impossible… but in these topsy-turvey times, who was to say the insane were not sane? _Dad did say pursue every lead, leave no stone unturned._

"Albertsworth would kill me if I gave _The Quibbler_ any credibility," Lily mused to herself. _But I got involved in all this craziness thanks to reporting on a celebrity witch. Maybe Xenophilus Lovegood is worth listening to after all._

* * *

Lily stood outside the unremarkable house of Xenophilus Lovegood. Her godmother had told her stories of their previous home, destroyed by no other than her father, Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron when they were pursued by Death Eaters. Luna had then persuaded him to move to a more conventional structure, but evidently it did not affect his predilection for reporting the outrageous or the absurd._ Let's hope this isn't a wild goose chase._

As she stepped onto the front porch, a whispery apparition appeared before her: "Please state your business."

"My name is Lily Potter, and I'm here to speak to Mister Xenophilius Lovegood. Editor of _The Quibbler,_" she added at the last minute.

The apparition replied, "Enter," and vanished. The door then swung open.

Hesitating a moment, she stepped inside. The house appeared deserted. "Mister Lovegood?" she called out. There was no response.

Just in front of her was a small podium with an odd item floating atop it: a triangle with a circle inscribed within, a line bisecting both of them. _The symbol of The Deathly Hallows…_

She was about to reach for it, then paused. _No one's here, and all I find is a symbol of the Deathly Hallows. This is most suspicious._ Lily withdrew her hand. "Mister Lovegood?" she called out again; no response.

_Alright, this is bad._ She turned to leave—

—and was hit by a _Petrificus Totalus_ curse.

_You idiot, Lily!_ Like a plank of wood she fell to the floor, fortunately not landing on her head. Staring up, she heard someone run to her side. It was an elderly man with long unkempt hair. _Mister Lovegood!_

There was a wild, panicked look in his face. He said nothing as he peered over her, pointing his wand. Lily felt herself levitated; she floated over towards the podium, whereupon Mister Lovegood grabbed her hair, then grabbed the floating image of the Deathly Hallows. _Idiot!_

They Apparated away.


	13. Chapter 13 The Ortus

**Chapter 13 – The Ortus**

* * *

She was lying on her back, staring up at a grey stone ceiling. Suddenly the jinx was lifted; she was free. Leaping to her feet, she whirled around, looking for Xenophilus Lovegood.

"I'm very sorry, Miss Potter, I had no choice."

The voice was trembling, apologetic, but Lily was without sympathy. Her hand whipped down to her front cloak pocket, but her wand wasn't there.

"You must hear me out—"

"—I trusted you, you foul, loathsome, evil cockroach!" Facing him, she took two steps toward him before being ensnared in ropes.

"Please, you must hear me, there's so little time!"

Her response was venomous: "Well, since I'm Disarmed, say whatever you wish. Whether your words will have any consequence is a matter in serious doubt."

Although bound, she could now move a little, so she took in her surroundings. They were in a dark, empty and unremarkable room. It appeared to be a basement, but Lily had no idea where they were.

Lovegood had pocketed his wand, and was now making fidgeting gestures with his hands. He began to speak, but instead of speaking stuttered incoherently. Shaking his head, he began: "There is a great threat to all Wizards—"

"—you already mentioned that."

"—and I think I know how to defeat it."

Lily's anger immediately retreated (it was still there). "Explain."

"It's—" and all of a sudden his tongue caught in the back of his throat again. Lovegood tried to speak, but his voice became more and more garbled, until he was literally speaking gibberish. He began hitting himself in the head, and even began pulling out clumps of his hair. Screaming inarticulately, he collapsed to the ground, trembling and sobbing.

Alarmed, she asked: "Are you alright, Mister Lovegood?"

Luna's father slowly got to his feet. He took out his wand, and held it at his temple. "Mister Lovegood!"

There was a flash, and suddenly he was perfectly still. Immediately he turned to Lily. "Inside the Ministry, there is a—"

—and immediately his voice broke. Choking, he clawed at his throat, trying to speak. He went into ever-more violent convulsions, which began to terrify Lily.

There was a sudden _whoosh_, and a voice suddenly spoke from behind her: "I think I know what's wrong with him." It was her father!

"Dad! How did—"

"—sorry for snooping, but it seemed prudent." Immediately the ropes disappeared. She whirled about, and her father materialized in front of her, appearing from within his Invisibility Cloak.

She rushed to hug him, then abruptly pushed back. "You were following me!" But her voice held no real anger.

"Well, to be accurate, one of my Aurors was tailing you. When they reported that you were going to Xenophilus' house, I was intrigued. When I arrived and you weren't there, I was terrified." His eyes were suddenly moist. "Fortunately, his Portkey still worked."

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere inside _The Quibbler _building_._" He walked past her and kneeled over Xenophilus, who stared wide-eyed at her father, but still seemed unable to speak.

She joined him: "What's wrong with him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied in that often-infuriatingly wry tone of voice. Sighing at the exasperated look she gave him, he said: "He's under a Memory Charm. Shouldn't be too difficult to remove." He pointed his wand at Lovegood, and there was a flash. Mister Lovegood slowly got to his feet.

"You were saying, Xenophilus?"

Mister Lovegood began to speak, and Lily shrieked as suddenly his lips physically sealed themselves.

"Well there's something you don't see everyday."

Lily fought to keep the horror out of her voice. "What happened?"

"That's no ordinary Memory Charm that was put on him." Her father came almost nose-to-nose with Mister Lovegood, peering intently as tears flowed down Lovegood's face. "Only the Ministry could have done this."

"So… are we going to take him to the Ministry? To find some answers?"

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Taking Lovegood's hand, he proffered his. "Shall we?"

Grabbing her father's hand, they Apparated away.

* * *

"Any idea?"

Aunt Hermione stepped away from Lovegood's sweating face, and pointed her wand at him. Nothing happened.

"Most unusual, Harry." They were in a small nondescript room somewhere in the Ministry, where there was no one else around. Upon their arrival her aunt had joined them, accompanied to Lily's surprise by Martin Andrews.

"Helping your aunt improve the defenses of the Ministry," Martin said in response to her query. _So that's how they made those flags! _He pointed at Lovegood. "What happened to him?"

"Someone didn't want him talking about something," Lily responded. Her father and her aunt gave her a look, but said nothing.

Martin's eyes widened in obvious fear. Taking a step back, he said: "I… I didn't know Wizards would be willing to do something like this…"

"Please don't assume this is standard procedure; this is most irregular," her aunt said. Pausing, she snapped her fingers. "I have an idea!" Holding her wand to her throat, she said: "Will Minister Locklear come to Room 442B?" Her voice echoed slightly as she spoke.

A few minutes passed, then the door opened and Son Locklear, who had temporarily assumed the Minister of Magic's duties while Shacklebolt was being treated, stepped inside.

"Yes, Minister Weasley, how may I assist?"

"As Minister of Magic, please use your authority to lift the _Prohibitorum_ curse on Mister Lovegood here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Would that not depend on what he was forbidden to speak of?"

"Mister Lovegood may know the key to defeating the Great Elves. Shall we wait any longer?"

Locklear's eyes widened. "Of course not." Pointing his wand at Lovegood, he said: "_Finite Prohibitorum._" Abruptly Lovegood's lips unsealed themselves. He looked exhausted; staggering, her father had to keep him from keeling over.

"…So long it's been, thirty years…" Lovegood's speech was dazed, as if he were awaking from a dream.

"Sir, we have no time to waste," her father said urgently at his side. "What were you going to tell Lily?"

"Tell Lily… about what?"

Her father shook him. "About what was in the Ministry, how to defeat Nihila?"

For a second he stared back blankly, then his eyes widened. His mouth fell open, which he covered, then he leapt back. "No, no, I can't speak of it! It will kill you all, just like it killed her!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"That… that thing! They said it was of love, but they were wrong, it's only death!"

"Xenophilus, you're speaking nonsense! Please, please explain!"

He cowered, trembling in obvious fear. Lily wondered if he would ever speak, but finally he did so: "There is… there is… in the Department of Mysteries… something terrible… something wonderful…"

To her surprise, both her father and her aunt gasped nearly simultaneously, while Locklear and Marin merely stared in utter befuddlement. Lily approached Lovegood and gently said, "Go on, Mister Lovegood."

He began wandering the room in a daze, apparently lost in the memory. "…We were there, the three of us, she said we could only approach it in love, but when she reached in to touch it, she vanished in a flash of steam." He suddenly turned to face her, his face beseeching. "Why? Why did it take her from us, from me and our precious Luna?"

"Take who? What took her? Who are you talking about?"

"My wife, Luna's mother," Lovegood replied. "She was the first witch in centuries to approach it, to explore its mysteries, but she failed, just as all the others before."

"And what was it she tried to approach?" He did not respond; Lovegood appeared to have gone catatonic.

"Mister Lovegood?"

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally answered: "The Ortus. The Ortus of Magic."

* * *

"I still don't understand what this 'Ortus' is," Martin repeated as they approached the Room of the Mystery of Love. "How does it work?"

Lovegood smiled enigmatically. "No one knows. But you shouldn't wonder how 'it' works, my dear Squib." Martin scowled at the word, but said nothing. "Instead, think of it, as the Source of all Magic."

"So the Ortus… has the power to defeat the Great Elves' anti-magic magic?"

"Perhaps."

"Don't you know?"

"Of course I don't know," Lovegood said equably. "It's a complete mystery." He looked at Martin and his eyes narrowed. "Be mindful, my wife died trying to answer the very questions you ask." No one said anything in response.

They all stood before the great wooden door: herself, her father, aunt Hermione, Martin Andrews, Xenophilus Lovegood, and Minister Locklear, passing through seven layers of Ministry security to do so. The door was locked. "I suppose someone has a key," Lily said uneasily, breaking the silence.

To her surprise, Locklear replied: "I do; it's the Minister's Key. Normally it is enchanted so only the Minister of Magic can use it." He twirled his wand three times in the air, and a bright golden key appeared and fell into his hands. "I hope this works."

"What do you mean?"

Minister Locklear looked nervous. "Given the present emergency, there was no time to do a proper magical transition between Shacklebolt and myself. I don't know if I have all his privileges, or if I've been properly entrusted with all the secrets of the Ministry." He fell silent.

Aunt Hermione spoke: "If you haven't been entrusted?"

"If I use this key without being magically authorized to do so…" His voice trailed away.

"What?" her father asked.

"Bad things might happen," Locklear said sheepishly.

"Actually, all will be well," Lovegood said serenely.

"How do you know that?" Lily asked.

He smiled. "Because all these games of magic we play, are as nothing before the Ortus. The Ortus will approve our stepping into the presence of Magic, because we act to save Magic."

"You're sure?"

He shrugged. "If we are wrong, instead, we will become one with Magic."

"What does that mean?" Martin asked uncertainly.

"It means we die," Aunt Hermione said grimly. _Okay…_

Locklear gingerly entered the key into the door and turned it. It unlocked, and the door opened – the Minister Key itself disappeared.

Lily was the second to last to enter, in front of Andrews. It was a large circular room, about fifty feet across and ten feet high, from ceiling to floor hewn of solid grey granite. From the exact center of the room, exactly midway between ceiling and floor, pure water appeared out of empty space, pouring out in all directions. In the center of the room there was a circular depression ten feet across and two feet deep, where the water pooled. Steam rose from the surface, disappearing into the air. There was no other sound except the ripple of water pouring onto the surface below.

They all stood some distance away from the edge of the pool. Lovegood turned to face them all and smiled. "Inside that fountain, from where all the water is coming from, lies the Ortus."

None of them reacted to his seemingly outrageous claim. "That we have made it this far is a good sign. The Ortus surely knows that Magic is endangered by these Great Elves. I am certain that if we can touch the Ortus, it will give us the power to defeat them. Because no magic can defeat Magic itself."

"What was Luna's mother—excuse me, your wife—trying to do?" her father asked, his voice laced with that most unfamiliar emotion: awe.

"She wanted to know the deepest mystery of mysteries regarding Magic," Lovegood said sadly. "She firmly believed that Love is the deepest form of Magic, and that if you approached the Ortus in love, it would reveal itself to you. So we came, the three of us, holding hands, a perfect embodiment of love: the love between a man and woman, and between parents and a child. How could it have gone wrong?"

"More importantly, how do we approach this… Ortus, without getting destroyed?" Locklear said tightly.

"I don't know," Lovegood replied distantly. "If my wife did not know…"

"Perhaps… perhaps I should try?" Andrews said hesitantly. "After all, I'm a Squib, it's not like… er… magic can do anything more to me, right?"

Aunt Hermione cried: "No, what if it kills you?"

"What does one life mean against all of wizardry?" he replied with some vehemence.

"No, Martin, thank you, but we can't allow you to risk your life this way," her father said.

Lily immediately understood what he was going to say next. "No, Dad, don't!" She rushed over and grabbed his arm.

Her father turned to her and smiled. "It's okay, Lily, I won't be harmed."

"But how can you know that?" Lily cried, unable to hold back her fear.

"Because I understand what Mrs. Lovegood did wrong." He gently pushed her away.

Lily fought back her tears. _Of all the times to act the hero, now is not the time!_ To her surprise, Aunt Hermione did not oppose his actions; she wasn't even crying. Instead, she came up to him very close and whispered, "Good luck, Harry."

"Thanks Hermione," he whispered back. They embraced, then broke up. "Everyone stand back." They all backed away. Harry Potter slowly approached the edge of the pool. He removed his shoes, hiked up his pants, and closed his eyes.

A moment later, he opened them and said: "Thank you." Slowly he waded into the pool; Lily barely stifled a cry. Nothing happened. He slowly waded to the center of the pool. Lily clutched her aunt tightly, fighting to stay calm.

Her father slowly lifted his hand to where all the water was pouring into the fountain, seemingly out of nothing. As his fingers pierced the water, he suddenly jerked back, exclaiming.

"Harry!" her aunt cried out.

He stumbled and fell into the water. "It was cold!" As he got to his feet, Lily noticed the water which soaked him was evaporating unnaturally fast. From the edge of the pool, the water seemed to retreat; pulling back from the edge, the water slowly but surely evaporated, and the pool emptied and disappeared. The fountain withdrew, as if a tap were running backwards in time. The waters then stopped pouring, until there was a ball of water the size of a Quaffle floating in midair.

Her father was now completely dry, and the pool he stood in was now totally empty. Approaching the center again, he slowly reached into the sphere of water. The water disappeared, and he cried out: "I got it!"

They all rushed to the edge of the pool, where he joined them. In his right palm lay…

…_something._ To the extent that it could be described, it was an octahedron, like two pyramids base to base, their vertices pointing in opposite directions. The edges glistened brightly, but the sides themselves were almost invisible. Inside the figure, which was not bigger than the palm of her father's hand, there was an invisible sphere at the center, and an infinitesimal line pierced it, reaching almost from one vertex to the other.

They all stared at it with awed curiosity, but Lovegood's reaction was even more extreme; Lily could only describe it as worshipfulness.

"How did you do it, Potter?" Locklear asked.

"I didn't," he said. Smiling, he continued: "I did not ask anything of it, I did not want or expect or hope it would do anything for us. I was just thankful for magic, and said so."

Lovegood looked stricken. "I'm sorry, Mister Lovegood, but after listening to what you said, I realized I could not approach the Ortus as a means to an end. It's _alive_ like we are, and must be approached as an individual." He smiled reassuringly. "Without your knowledge, we would have made the same mistake, and met the same fate."

Although still pained, Mister Lovegood smiled. "So now what?" Lily asked. Obviously this Ortus was an object of immense magical power, but knowing what her father said and had happened to Luna's mother, and her father, it seemed very… temperamental. _How will we use it to stop Nihila? Or perhaps more accurately, how will it act to stop Nihila… if at all?_

As if in response to her thought, a geyser of water suddenly erupted from the Ortus. They all stepped back automatically, but somehow her father managed to hold onto it. The water did not spray out haphazardly, however, but instead it flowed onto the floor. The water then began to stream towards the door, which disintegrated on its touch, and out into the corridor.

"What happened?" Martin cried.

"I think it wants us to follow it," her father said bemusedly.

He abruptly began walking in the stream towards the door. One by one, the rest of them followed him. The water was flowing unnaturally across the floor of the Department of Ministries, flowing down the main hallway until disappearing around a corner far ahead.

As they walked down the hall, Martin came up to her side and asked, "Can you explain what's going on?"

"Not a chance," Lily said wryly. "This is magic beyond magic."

"Woah," he breathed.

Occasionally a witch or wizard would emerge from a door and stare blankly at the sight of them passing by. "Ministry business, please go about your normal duties," her father said loudly, which brought a smile to her aunt's face, and a scowl to Locklear's. Finally the water flowed into a large chamber. Abruptly her father stopped, and he made a sudden unpleasant noise.

He wouldn't budge, and when Lily came up to him he cried out in a shrill voice, "No, Lily! Stay back!"

"What, what is it?" He did not reply.

"Harry, it's okay, let's go," her aunt said gently.

Without another word, he moved aside. Lily stared down. The water was cascading from the door down into the chamber below, flowing across the floor into a large stone arch. Lily gasped; she instantly knew where they were and what that arch was. _The Death Room – that's the Arch of Death where her father's godfather, Sirius Black, had died._

Automatically she faced her father, who had a grim look on his face. He started; the Ortus was no longer in his hands, but floating down into the chamber, still pouring water.

Tugging at him, her aunt led her father and the rest of them below, until they were standing before the arch. The Ortus had floated down until it was hovering ten feet away from the arch in midair. The water was pouring to the floor, and into the arch itself. The veil had compressed itself to the top of the arch, and as they peered inside the arch, they saw the far wall of the chamber, as if there were nothing between the arch.

"Do you think it wants us to… go inside the arch?" Locklear asked. Her father did not answer.

"I'll do it," Martin volunteered.

"Martin, that archway is no ordinary arch. If you walk through it, you die," her aunt replied sternly.

Martin's eyes opened wide. "Blimey, glad you told me that."

Her father still did not say anything; he continued to stand rigidly still, a grim look on his face as he peered at the arch. "What do you think, Harry?"

A moment of silence, then: "I'll do it. I've gotten us this far."

Lily's first instinct was to tell him not to do it; but she had seen with her own eyes her father apparently do the impossible. She _knew_, somehow, that the Ortus wanted him to go through the arch, to do… _what?_ She had no idea, but she hoped it would be useful information to stop Nihila.

"Okay, if I don't come back… I'll leave it in your hands, Hermione." Before she could react, her father rushed over and hugged her tightly.

"Forgive me, Lily, if this doesn't work," he said fiercely.

"It'll be fine, Dad, you'll come back to me, I know it," she replied equally fiercely.

They broke the embrace; his bright green eyes were shimmering like hers. He then turned and slowly walked towards the entrance.

Lily held her breath as he walked towards the arch… he was at the arch… he was walking through…

…and he walked out the other side, as if nothing had happened.

No one said anything. "Okay… obviously that didn't work."

"Maybe I should do it?" Aunt Hermione said.

"No," her father replied immediately. "We dare not be flippant about this."

Her father circled around back to them. They were all standing on either side of the flowing water, halfway between the Ortus and the entrance to the arch.

"Perhaps we should all enter, one at a time?" Locklear asked.

"Maybe we should enter simultaneously, holding hands," aunt Hermione suggested.

As the others began discussing what to do, Lily looked down at the water flowing across the dark earth floor. Her own reflection stared back at her.

Martin came up beside her. "Any ideas?"

"None yet," she said, turning to face him. "I guess it's a puzzle."

"Why would the Ortus want to make things so difficult?"

"Dunno, honestly." She went back to staring at her reflection in the water.

"You know, this magical water is really creepy?"

"How so?"

"I mean, look at what it did, and now you can't even see your own reflection in it."

"What do you mean?" She turned to face Martin again.

He looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean? You can't see your reflection in this water, even though you should—at least, from a scientific perspective."

"Really?" She looked back down – her reflection was clear as day, but she did not see his reflection.

"See?" he said.

_Of course! _Excitedly she raised her head and called out: "Everyone! Come over here and look down into the water!"

The other adults stared at her, but did as she said. One by one they joined Martin and herself and stared into the water flowing into the arch. As they did so, the only other reflection she saw was her father's.

"What do you all see?" she asked.

"Your reflection and mine, and no others," her father said. The others nodded or spoke their agreement.

Lily lifted her head. "Well it's obvious, isn't it? The Ortus wants me and my dad to go through, together."

"Absolutely not, you're wrong," her father snapped.

"Dad, the answer's staring us right back in the face—"

"—Don't joke, this is a matter of life and death!"

Lily could not recall ever seeing her father so angry—and so scared. "Dad, it's okay, Magic wants this."

Her father was breathing rapidly. "Lily, this… this _thing_, my godfather, your grandfather's best friend, died when he went through it. I can't risk even the smallest possibility that the same thing could happen to you."

"But you just went through it, even though you didn't know the risk of doing so," she said intently. "You decided that, rather than let the Great Elves destroy wizardry, you would risk dying, leaving Mum behind, leaving me, Albus, and James without a father."

He turned away. She came to him and put her arm around his shoulder. "Don't put everything on yourself, Dad. We're all in this together."

Her aunt came up and put her hand on his other shoulder. "She said it better than I could have, Harry."

He raised his head to look at her aunt, then at her. "Magic works in mysterious ways."

The others backed off. Her father offered his hand, and she took it. "Together?"

"Together."

Hand-in-hand, Lily and her father waded into the water. They approached the veil and stepped through.


	14. Chapter 14 Beyond the Veil

**Chapter 14 - Beyond the Veil**

* * *

Inside the Fortress Eremos, dozens of guard wizards and witches walked across an empty plain, wands held at ready. Powerful enchantments made the entire interior of the prison transparent, thereby ensuring that no prisoner could escape unnoticed. Security had been greatly recently due to the threat by the Great Elves against the residents of Eremos – the twenty-odd surviving members of the inner circle of the fallen Dark Lord. What good the magical defenses of Eremos would do against the unprecedented powers of the new enemy, however, was a topic of much unhappy conversation.

Marius Festerine and Thelan Slickwick were standing at the entrance gate, talking quietly. Normally conversation was of a subdued nature here, but today their chatter was even more circumscribed, although no less charged.

"I'm telling you, it's true; they stopped the Elves," Festerine insisted again. "Tried to break into Hogwarts, but they couldn't!"

"How? Magic doesn't work against them, we all know it, we've seen it," Slickwick replied, her voice expressing both frustration and an ill-concealed desire that it be true.

Festerine frowned. "You don't think it's that Muggle mischief, 'techology', they're using instead?"

"Of course not, it's gotta be magic," Slickwick snorted, "what else could it be?"

Festerine replied: "The point is, somehow we did stop them, so why don't they share the secret?"

"I'm sure—" Slickwick never finished the sentence, as there was a tremendous crashing noise. Beyond the Distortion Gate, jaws fell in astonishment as the great black wall at the entrance crumbled to dust!

Along with Festerine and Slickwick, wizards and witches leaped to attention, wands held ready. Without warning a wizard burst through the distortion of the entrance gate, running at top speed. "They destroyed the Gate!" he shouted wildly. "Magic is useless against them!"

Shouts of protest rose, but the wizard did not respond; he continued running. "Too late as usual," Slickwick muttered. "Now it's us poor blokes who'll get killed… or worse."

"Stand fast!" Festerine said resolutely, not betraying the creeping fear inside. Making a circular motion with his wand, the shimmering space inside the gate became a black wall, cutting off the magical passageway and making it impossible for anyone on the outside of the prison to enter the interior.

Except that the gate presently exploded into dust. Nihila and Nihilo strode forward.

"_Avada Kedavra!"_ Slickwick cried. A green light shot towards Nihilo, and vanished. Slickwick just stared, stepping back.

"Witches, wizards," the gravely voice of Nihila spoke. "Leave now, or you will share the fate-to-be of those you foolishly protect from my wrath."

Without comment a wizard Disapparated. Then another one, and two more. Festerine was the last to leave, but before doing so said: "We will stop you!"

Nihilo and Nihila stood alone. "Remember," Nihila said, "do not kill. The longer they live, the longer they suffer."

He grinned, bearing sharklike teeth. "Of course."

Nihila pointed. "Work from the north, I will start in the south. When you finish with the others, meet me in front of his cell." She grinned, flashing equally sharp teeth. "The sweetest revenge we shall sip last."

* * *

Besides the distant thundering noise of falling rock, Lucius Malfoy could not clearly discern what was going on. There was a brief, faint echo of spell exchanges, then an ominous silence. Wearily rising to his feet, he brushed aside his long thin white hair and cupped his hand over his ear, leaning directly against the invisible barrier in front of his cell.

At first he heard nothing, but minutes later he heard it: a strange, twisting noise, unlike anything he'd ever encountered. The noise grew steadily louder, stronger, then suddenly he staggered back in shock as in front of him, the empty halls of the Wall-less Prison were increasingly filled with walls and corridors. _The magical charms of the prison have been neutralized. That can only mean…_

Sure enough, two figures turned the corner and approached his cell—apparitions from the darkest of nightmares. They were shorter than he was, slenderer than a normal human, but considerably taller and more muscular than a House Elf. Up close, their brownish leathery skin appeared to be made up of fine scales. Except for their toga-style purple sashes, they wore no other clothing.

The female—the one that the guards called Nihila—had a short but thick silvery mane flowing from the back of her head, while the male, Nihilo's, was black. Two pairs of catlike yellow eyes stared at him, mouths grinning lasciviously, bearing sharpened teeth. He could not easily read their expressions, but it was clear they were equal-parts fury and anticipation. _Of what they're going to do to me._

Nihila raised her hand and reached towards Lucius as she reached the barrier to his cell; there was a vibrating noise, and they stepped through. Before he could turn to run Nihilo raised his hand towards him, and he was thrown across the room into the wall of his cell. Grunting with pain as he fell to the floor, he barely recovered his senses when he was suddenly lifted into the air and spun about. His arms and legs splayed spread-eagled against the wall—he could not move an inch.

Nihilo and Nihila stood before him, less than a foot away. "Lucius Malfoy," Nihila hissed, a cold reptilian voice that seemed strangely familiar in tone. "Purest of the pure blood."

"Why do you persecute us, Great Elf?" Lucius said, terrified yet also genuinely confused. "We serve Magic by upholding the purity of magical blood—"

Upon saying the word 'blood' Lucius was blinded by an invisible slap to the face. Soon he tasted the very same in his throat.

"The Pureblood are Cursedblood!" Nihila shrieked. "The blood of countless creatures, wizards and witches has been spilled by your kind! We take back the full measure of what was lost!"

Lucius could not believe what he was hearing. "You would kill all Wizards?"

Both Nihilo and Nihila laughed. "No, Lucius Malfoy," Nihilo said, "your fate will be far worse."

Again an invisible slap smashed into his face; bright lights filled his vision as he shook his head to recover. "All of your partners in crime here in the prison, your beloved Death Eaters and supporters—Macnair, Doholov, Umbridge, Yaxley—have been punished by me. I have stripped the magic from their blood. They now cry out, feebly, as Magicless. The very thing you hate and fear most of all, they have become."

Lucius stared in open astonishment, unable to process her terrible words. She continued: "This will be the fate of all wizardkind, but for you and your colleagues, I had to do it myself, to see the Magic fade from their eyes. Like from your great-grandson Herpo."

Lucius screamed, unbidden, stoked by horror and rage. "Yes, Malfoy, your bloodline is now cut. He went to bed a Wizard, and awoke a Squib. There are no more purebloods left, and before the moon next changes her face, wizardkind will fall."

_It is all lost. We are destroyed. _From the fog of despair, one final fragment of dignity and honor emerged. "We stand condemned before you. Please show me mercy, and in your judgment return me to Magic."

Nihila did not speak; her clawed hands shot out to hover menacingly over his face, trembling wildly. Nihilo merely stared at her. "Kill you… I must… so want… to kill you…" she said in a low, shivering voice that suddenly sounded very old and weak.

Abruptly her hands pulled away. "I grant you in full the mercy granted me." There was a puff of red smoke all around him; Lucius coughed as he fell to the ground.

A piece of wood clanked down in front of him; it was a wand.

"Behold your fallen state, Squib," Nihila said contemptuously.

Instinctively Lucius grabbed the wand and sent a Killing Curse at Nihila. Only nothing happened. "No!" Lucius dropped the wand and sank to the ground, covering his head in shame as he began uncontrollably to cry.

Nihila turned to Nihilo, who nodded. They both vanished.

* * *

As soon as Lily stepped through the veil, she was enveloped by grayness: a complete and all-encompassing neutrality between black and white, brightness and darkness, something and nothing. As she walked, it didn't feel like she was standing on anything, yet her balance was perfectly fine. She stopped as something pulled her back.

"Lily, are you okay?" her father asked urgently, and she was suddenly aware of how tightly he gripped her hand. She patted it and smiled.

"I'm fine, Dad." Some of the tension in his expression leaked away, replaced by a more inquisitive look as he lifted his head and peered about. "So… where are we?"

"What do you see?"

"Erm, it's all just a big, gray… thing."

"Exactly what I see. Most reassuring!"

"Really? How so?"

To her surprise, he cracked a mischievous grin. "It means that this is not all in my head, or yours. So it's all real. We're really here."

"Which is, where?"

"Let's keep walking." Lily was slightly miffed at his nonanswer, but then again, she realized with a small sense of satisfaction that it probably meant he had no answers either.

They walked, for a period of time that Lily had no idea how long it was. "How long have we been walking?"

"I dunno. Tell me, do you feel tired? Hungry? Thirsty, uncomfortable in any way?"

Lily thought about it. "No, not at all," she said. _How odd._

"Me neither. Which means that time has taken a holiday." Responding to her puzzled look, he went on: "The last time I was… in a similar situation, we were, in a sense, outside time. Meaning an eternity might pass here, while no time passes back in the real world. Or vice-versa."

The mention of those words suddenly made Lily realize that, however incredible their presence was, this was not a sightseeing tour. "We're inside the veil—"

"—No, we're dead."

"What?"

Her father turned and looked sheepish. "Sorry, Lily, I spoke without thinking. The arch we just walked through is an ancient magical gateway created—or perhaps discovered—long ago as wizards tried to understand death, which is why it is in the Department of Mysteries. Unfortunately, just about all we've learned since is that if you step through it, you never come back, so it was a means of causing death, both unintentionally and intentionally." He suddenly looked grim, but then relaxed. "Of course, just now—"

"—you walked through it without dying, and we both walked through it together, so we're not dead!"

"I don't know," he said quietly, shocking her. He turned to face her, suddenly looking very sad… and very much older. "I've had more experience with death than anyone should, and I know—I think I know—that death doesn't mean, the end. It means…" his voice trailed away.

"Means what?"

"You go on." Again he fell silent.

With a thunderbolt Lily suddenly understood the implication of her father's words: _I've had more experience with death than anyone should._ It wasn't just a reference to all the people he knew growing up that had died, but that, quite possibly, he himself had 'died', yet managed to come back. _Mum and Dad never talked about those final days against the Dark One, but James had told me, not long after he came of age, about how Dad had somehow almost died, and spoke to the dead, but managed to come back to life, somehow._ She had even agreed to his demand she take the Unbreakable Vow never to tell anyone about it in order to hear it, but he had backed down in the last moment. _Still, how did he ever find out about it?_

"I'll assume we're not dead for the moment," Lily said seriously, which made her father nod a little. "We're—wherever you go after you die. That Ortus-thing allowed us to come here, because," she paused, thinking it over. "Because—" she snapped her fingers. "We need to find out how to stop Nihila!"

Smiling, her father said: "You really are a clever witch."

"So who or what are we looking for?" Thinking some more, it was obvious. "Dumbledore?"

Abruptly her father frowned and turned away.

"What, what is it, Dad?"

For a while he did not answer. "I… I don't want to see Dumbledore."

Lily was utterly perplexed by that answer. "Why?"

"We left on bad terms." That was equally surprising; it was always her impression that her dad and Dumbledore were very close.

"Surely that's all in the past now, right?" He didn't answer. His sullenness sparked a childhood defiance of her own.

"I think we should talk to him," she said boldly. "Headmaster Dumbledore! Albus Dumbledore, we need you!" she called out loudly to the grey void.

Nothing happened. Her father chuckled. "As you said, the Ortus required both of us to come in order to enter. Apparently we must also be of the same mind to do anything else."

"Dad, you heard the portrait, he knew something! Normally when people die they take their secrets with them to the grave, but now we can actually learn what he knew!"

"Be careful what questions you ask, Lily," her father said softly. "You may not like the answers."

Exasperated, she said: "Okay, how about Merlin? The only wizard greater than Dumbledore?"

He shrugged. "Sure. Warlock Merlin, we require your assistance!"

Nothing happened. "That's odd," Lily said guardedly, hiding her surprise.

Her father sighed and pinched his nose between his brows, a gesture of frustration Lily knew all too well. "Alright. Dumbledore, we need to talk," he said brusquely.

"You should not be here," a loud, stern voice called from behind. Lily started; whirling about, she barely stifled a cry of terrified surprise. Behind them, Albus Dumbledore, garbed in the same clothes he was wearing in the portrait, stood with his arms folded in front of him, a cross expression on his face. Turning, Lily was surprised to see her father equally disgruntled.

"We need your help again, Albus," her father said shortly. Lily was astonished by his tone of voice; he sounded like nothing less than a petulant, insubordinate adolescent. _Actually, he kinda sounds like me!_

Immediately Dumbledore responded: "Then help you I shall, but for your sake, Harry, you would do better to go on with the business of living, than to dwell in the shadows of the dead." The Headmaster's initially stern tone of voice had become much warmer. He turned to face her and a look of happy surprise lit up his blue eyes. "I apologize, madam, for my lack of grace in failing to introduce myself." He bowed and extended his right hand. "Albus Dumbledore, at your service."

She was about to take it when she noticed the burned and damaged flesh. Somehow, that did not stop her or even cause her to react. "Lily Potter, sir." She smiled awkwardly. "Er, I guess you know my Dad."

Dumbledore grinned, an impossibly warm smile that melted her heart. "What a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Potter!" He peered closely at her. "You bear more than a passing resemblance to a Ginevra Weasley I once knew. I take it she's your mother?"

"Yes, sir."

"Wonderful!" He then turned to approach her father, who was wearing a forced smile. Peering at him, he said: "Clearly it's been many years." He paused, scrutinizing him further. "You now wear the handsome features of a mature man of middle age. So it must be—twenty years, twenty five, since last we met?"

"Almost thirty, Professor."

Dumbledore's smile seemed to droop a bit due to her father's reserved reaction, but his words were still ebullient. "Wonderful, Harry. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to know you enjoy the blessings and responsibilities of family life."

"Glad it's so, Professor."

Dumbledore's smile faded some more. Now his voice was all-business: "I must confess, Harry—I do hope it's alright if I may refer to you in such manner?" her father nodded. "I am at a total loss to explain how you and young Lily here stand before me, when I've been dead thirty years. I've worked it out that you yourselves are not dead, but how is this possible? Are you using the Resurrection Stone?" Before they could answer, Dumbledore said: "But no, you stand clearly before me, I can feel your presence."

"We stepped through the Veil, in the Death Room," her father said, again in a clipped tone of voice that seemed irritated, and possibly even angry.

"I see, I see. Harry, before we address your problem, it is plain that you have some issue with me. I know you were justified in being angry for all I withheld, but there are no secrets between us. Why are you upset?"

"Because you didn't tell me everything," her father blurted out. He was more than exasperated, but not quite angry; still, Lily stepped back. "I've got some other issues with you, but I'll leave them be. Voldemort's gone, but he had this secret antimagic weapon, and now thirty years later the wizarding world is on the brink of annihilation because of it!" Before Dumbledore could respond, her father continued: "We spoke to your portrait, and it hinted you did know something. Why didn't you tell me, or someone else, what you knew or suspected? We could have stopped all this!"

Dumbledore's head fell. _Amazing; when he was speaking to his portrait, Dad was all smiles with Dumbledore, but now that they're actually speaking—from beyond the grave!—he's furious at him!_ If the situation was not so serious, Lily would have laughed.

Raising his head, Dumbledore began to speak in a tired voice: "Knowing I had but months to live, I put as much of myself as I could into my portrait at Hogwarts." He chuckled grimly. "I'm sure you realized my portrait was much more, 'capable', shall we say, then what one would expect."

Her father nodded. "Surpassing any ghost, which surprised me as I know you would never have made that choice."

"Indeed I would not, but for your sake, I came as close to the line as possible, even to the point of leaving a trace of my own soul behind." Both Lily and her father gasped. Dumbledore smiled sadly. "A ghost is a prison of the soul, prevented from returning to Magic by a wish of its owner, to preserve the life it once knew rather than face the truth of Magic. When I… died, I would not leave myself behind thus, as you said, but I did put the slightest trace of myself into my portrait, to give it that extra 'knack' for initiative and problem-solving, to aid you, Harry." He raised his withered hand. "A small price to pay again, don't you think?"

Her father now looked abashed, ashamed even. "I'm sorry, sir, I had no idea…"

"It's all in the past; to the present we must turn." Dumbledore sat down in a chair that had appeared out of nowhere. Lily and her father also sat down in chairs. "I take it you are referring to the blood on Salazaar Slytherin's dagger? That you found his Tomb?"

Lily and her father were both astonished. "Yes, how did you know?"

"It's a long story—"

"—we have the time," Lily said. Her father looked at her with what could only be annoyance. "Didn't you say time is meaningless here?"

"She's right, Harry," Dumbledore said. Her father rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Okay, before we begin, please let me know how it is you are not deceased, yet have somehow broken the barrier between the living and dead to speak to me."

"The Ortus created the passage, and required that we both enter," her father said. Dumbledore nodded but said nothing. Her father's eyes narrowed. "I take it you know what the Ortus is."

"Truthfully, no one knows, except maybe Merlin. Merlin, however, has become one with Magic—perhaps the first wizard ever to do so—which is why he did not appear when you called to him."

"What do you mean, 'one with magic'?"

"Wizards come from Magic, and ultimately return to Magic." They looked at him blankly. "I guess I should start from the beginning. First, the Ortus may be considered a part of Magic itself—I see you are still confused by what I am saying." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Have you ever wondered what magic is? If I were to ask you to define magic, how would you do so? Both of you."

Lily and her father looked at each other in helpless confusion. Lily turned to Dumbledore and said: "Magic is the power that we have to make things happen, which Muggles don't have?"

"Exactly wrong, but almost right," Dumbledore said brightly; Lily scowled. "You, like virtually all wizards, consider magic as an ability that witches and wizards have, something like sight, hearing, or sense of smell. It is conceived of as a force, or an ability, that resides in you, and which you can invoke with the proper training. Provided you are of wizarding blood."

They both nodded. "Well, Merlin and a few other warlocks, centuries before the founding of Hogwarts, did some investigations of the subject, and from second and third-hand copies of his writings, I learned that he put forth the idea that magic, or _Magick_, is somehow alive, like a spirit, filling the universe, perhaps even _being_ the universe."

It took a while for them to digest his words. "So," her father said slowly, "are we a part of this 'Magick' too? Or are we separate, distinct?"

"A very good question, Harry! This is even more speculative, but I think the idea is that, before there were witches and wizards, before goblins and elves, before there was even a world, there was only Magic. Merlin considered Magic to be Love. It is the most powerful force in the universe, but ironically he believed that even Love could not exist in a world where there was only Magic."

"Why not?"

"Because love is the elevation of others over self, but in the beginning there was only Magic itself, and Magic could not love itself. Self-love is not love, as I'm sure you're aware. Only if something apart from Magic existed, could Magic love that something else, and thus could Love come fully into existence."

"So… wizards were made by Magic… to be loved?" Lily was confused.

Dumbledore sighed. "Beyond what I've just said, all we have is from The Legends of Merlin. Everything I'm about to talk about is just rumor piled on folklore. That being said—"

"—never doubt the power of stories. I remember reading one in the _Tales of Beetle the Bard _that was of relevance," her father said with a crooked smile.

"Quite true," Dumbledore replied. "Well, in the legend of The Fall, it was said that Magic first created a being almost as powerful and perfect as itself, but distinct, and thus inferior, to be the object of Magic's love. It had to be, for if it were the same as Magic, there would be no difference. Merlin called it the Carus, though of course we do not know the actual name for this entity (if it existed at all). This Carus basked in Magic's love, and loved Magic in turn, creating a perfect circle of Love. Yet it became aware that it was not perfect like Magic, and wanted Magic to make it perfect. Magic could not, it was the one thing Magic cannot do, because then it would become one with Magic, and Love would end."

"The Carus became angry, and eventually came to hate Magic, lashing out and attempting to destroy the world that Magic had created for it. In the end Magic was forced to destroy the Carus, but the blessings of love was deemed too wonderful to forego, so in time Magic raised new beings that could express love, to each other as well as Magic, although not as magically-endowed. Unfortunately, these beings would fall victim to the same negative emotions that the Carus did: jealously, pride, and above all hate. Perhaps the Carus' hate infected the world, making it impossible to be pure of feeling as before. Or perhaps it's the inevitable price of our mortality. Perhaps the great weakness of love is that when something or someone you love is harmed, one's love can be poisoned and turned into hate, that most terrible and destructive of all impulses. " Dumbledore paused, looking reflective. "In the end, maybe we are mortal because Magic made it such that we do not try to consume all of creation, like the Carus almost did in its quest for immortality—or as Voldemort would have done so had he succeeded in living forever. But in exchange for our finite lives, we return to Magic after we die, and ultimately, everything is resolved."

Trying to absorb his words, Lily and her father merely looked at each other in silence. Nodding, her father said: "An amazing story, Professor, and perhaps it is even all true. But getting back to the issue—"

"—of course, forgive me Harry, when one is dead, you do not have the luxury of commiserating with old friends." Responding to their bewildered stares, he continued: "There are secrets for the grave that can only be known when one sheds the mortal coil. I cannot speak any more of it. But to the task at hand: the Ortus was found in Merlin's possession long ago. It is not a magic talisman, as I'm sure you've experienced; it is the most mercurial of objects—indeed, it is a mistake to think of it as an object at all. It reflects the full power, capriciousness and mystery that is Magic itself. No one could divine why it is so, and attempts to bring it to heel throughout history usually ended… in disaster." Dumbledore's voice faded away; a shadow crossed his face.

He went on: "The notes in Merlin's possession said that when he touched the Ortus, he could sense a feeling of love emanating from it that was beyond anything he had ever encountered. Those few who survived the attempts to commune with it have reported the same thing. Centuries after he died, the Ortus of its own accord placed itself in the location where the Department of Mysteries is now located; indeed, the Ministry of Magic was built around this location. It suspended itself in midair and vanished behind a fountain of water. Most warlocks who have studied it agree that the Ortus represents Magic's presence in our world, and that from it, all magic flows."

"That's it!" her father cried. "Nihilo and Nihila, they intend to destroy the Ortus, which will bring an end to all magic. That's there goal." Dumbledore appeared puzzled, so her father quickly began to recount the tale of everything that had happened, up to and including Lily's most recent encounter with them outside Hogwarts.

Dumbledore nodded gravely when her father finished speaking. "Most alarming indeed. But you forget, Harry, the Ortus, so to speak, has a mind of its own. I highly doubt it will stand idly by and allow itself to be destroyed, no matter what Nihilo and Nihila intend."

Her father opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it; apparently he had no reply. "What about the blood of the Artisan?" Lily asked. "It has proven antimagical power. Could they not damage or destroy the Ortus with it?"

Dumbledore did not answer right away. "Unlikely, but I have no certain knowledge on this score." He sighed again. "I hope you will forgive me one more time, Harry, Lily, when I confess that it was I who first uncovered Slytherin's Tomb, and reawakened the Artisan's blood, without telling anyone else of it."

"You?" Lily and her father both exclaimed simultaneously.

"Me." Dumbledore sighed. "Not long after I defeated Grindelwald, one of my scholarly pursuits was investigating what had become of Salazaar Slytherin after he left Hogwarts. My research led me to the village where Nagaini had killed the Artisan's family, and to the ruins of Slytherin's castle. That of course is where I found his prophecy of the Squib of Fate."

"You know what it is!" Lily exclaimed. "Damath mentioned it, he was terrified by it, but we could not find it at Slytherin's Tomb. What did it say, Professor, if you may?"

"A moment, my dear Lily, my memory isn't what it once was." A moment of silence, then Dumbledore closed his eyes, and began to slowly speak:

_The wrath of the Magicless has humbled Wizardkind_  
_Heed their vengeance: though Magic has blessed you_  
_this blessing shall not endure forever_

_The Artisan's blood has sunk into the earth_  
_From the earth his blood shall arise once more_  
_It shall flow through the veins of the Squib of Fate_

_They who most want wizards destroyed_  
_Shall find the One with magic not magic_  
_Magic will come to them and Magic will end_

_Magic's downfall is Magic's salvation_  
_In the hands of the Magicless and She Who Died_  
_Lies the fate of all wizards_

When he opened his eyes, Dumbledore immediately held out a warning finger: "Remember what I told you about prophecies, Harry!"

Her father did not respond, but Lily could not help but blurt out: "Yes, yes, but things are happening just as you said!"

"Be that as it may, let us concentrate on the facts we know. I did indeed know of the story of the Artisan, fanciful though it seemed, and awareness of that story was the one thing that saved me. When I came upon Slytherin's Tomb, his body was intact. Curious about the blood, I wanted to retrieve a sample, but through an abundance of caution I used my wand first. The moment I used magic on the Artisan's blood, the magical protection failed. Fearful of what I may have unleashed, I resealed his tomb, replaced the magical protections, and covered all traces, but of course the blood repelled all magic around it, which is why when you found him his hands had decayed away."

"So you got there before Voldemort did," her father said. "We don't know when, but somehow he found the Tomb as well, and must have taken a sample of the blood to use. I wonder how he found it," her father mused.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't know how he found it, but I know Voldemort could not have magically reproduced it, with a Blood Thickening Potion for example. I tried to do that, and the blood would not replicate."

Lily said: "So that means Voldemort—and Nihilo and Nihila—should not be able to create more of the Artisan's blood either, not magically. But they've used that blood on many occasions, they must have found a way?"

"A profound puzzle indeed," Dumbledore said, with a sense of finality. Lily was not satisfied with the answer, and neither apparently was her father.

"Sir, is there anything else you could tell us? That could be of use?"

Dumbledore held out his hand. "A moment, Harry." He paused, closing his eyes. Then he said: "I sense it. Magic has allowed me to."

"What?"

"I feel... it must be them. This Nihilo and Nihila. Their emotions, are resonating beyond life. Powefully." A pause. "Anger. Hatred. Grief. Like a potion curdling upon itself, strengthening over the years." He opened his eyes. "I do not know how these Great Elves could have survived to the present day. Merlin wrote of them as well, saying they had suddenly disappeared thousands of years ago, before the beginning of wizarding society, no one knows why. We have found relics and ruins supporting this hypothesis. But I know for a fact that there has not been in all written history a single confirmed sighting of them. Something is not right."

"What do you mean?"

"If I were to guess, from what you've said of Nihilo and Nihila, they are more likely to be related to House Elves, somehow. Perhaps a disgruntled Elf learned of their racial history, and decided to remold themselves. Or an elf with a grudge against wizards found an ancient spell that allowed them to do this. My point is, Harry, if and when you do confront them, they have a reason for what they're doing, and it is not an age-old hatred that motivates them. Understanding and being sympathetic to their grievances might be as effective a weapon as your wand in fighting them."

Her father frowned. "I don't see how, they clearly want to destroy wizardkind. What could we possibly offer to them in satisfaction?"

"I'm sure their actions are an understandable if regrettable overreaction to some concrete personal loss. Address that, and you may find you will not have an enemy at all."

"Very well." He sounded dubious, no less than Lily felt herself. "Then I guess this is goodbye."

Dumbledore smiled, but it was not a happy one. "Harry, I wish you did not have to face such a burden again—"

"—It's a burden I freely choose this time," her father said, his voice no longer angry but resolute.

"—and I as well," Lily said. "We will fight to save Wizardkind, or die trying!"

Both Dumbledore's and her father's eyes widened. Eventually Dumbledore said: "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Good-bye, Professor, wish us luck." He extended his hand to Dumbledore's, and they shook.

"And to you, too, Harry. To you too."

Of her own accord Lily came over and hugged Dumbledore – he felt as real as a normal person. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

When they pulled apart, Dumbledore suppressed a sniffle. "And to you, too, Lily Potter. You are as brave as your father and namesake. Be careful, and be safe."

When Dumbledore stepped away, he slowly faded back into the grayness. "Shall we go, Dad?"

"Let's."


	15. Chapter 15 Magic's End

**Chapter 15 - Magic's End**

* * *

Instantly the all-pervading gray vanished. Without conscious thought, Lily took a step forward and faltered; being back on solid ground disoriented her, and after a few steps she tumbled awkwardly to the ground, gasping in pain as the entire left side of her body impacted against the unforgiving stone floor of the Ministry.

"Oof!" Dazed, Lily got up to her feet with the help of Martin. "You made it back," he said, his voice airy with wonder.

"It was quite a trip," Lily replied. It was difficult to say more, given how… unreal the experience was.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked, a pained look of concern on her face.

"We talked with the dead, of course!" her father quipped. Everyone else was too stunned to respond.

Lily couldn't help but grimace. _Always the prankster,_ she thought to herself. _But that's not fair; our experience was literally beyond understanding. _She decided to be helpful: "We spoke with Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore!" Locklear breathed. "He's alive?"

"Of course not," her father said irritably. Lily remembered the surprisingly cold response he had to seeing the Headmaster again. More thoughtfully, he continued: "Let's just say that, we can both confirm, there is life beyond death, of a sort. And we did speak with Dumbledore about the present crisis."

"What did he say?"

Her father gave Lily a shrewd look. _Your show. _She nodded. "He wasn't very specific, but he did confirm the existence of a… anti-magic Magic. Actually, he found it first." Lily ignored their shouts for explanation; time was short. "Somehow Nihilo and Nihila, whoever they are, must have found the Squib of Fate, whose blood is the same as the Artisan's. And their plan is to use it, somehow, to destroy the Ortus, and thus all Magic."

As one they turned to face the Veil. The Ortus had disappeared.

"Where did it go?" Lily asked.

Locklear said: "I don't know, it was there the last time I saw it."

They all ran towards where the Ortus had been housed; it was no longer there. "Most curious," her father said wryly.

"I guess, if it's gone, then it can't be destroyed, right?" Martin asked uncertainly.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Lily replied.

"Wait a second, if the Ortus is the Source of all Magic, what happens if it's gone?" Aunt Hermione asked. "If it's gone from our world, does that mean Magic will be gone as well?"

Lily's mouth fell open in horror. _No!_ "It is as predicted, Magic will end," Xenophilus said gravely.

Lily froze. _'Magic will come to them and Magic will end,' the prophecy said._ Did he somehow know?

"Let's not get too hasty," her father replied. "Perhaps realizing the threat, it's hiding itself."

"So what do we do now?" Lily asked.

Her father replied immediately. "We stop Nihilo and Nihila. Once they've been defeated, the threat to Magic will end."

"Will that bring the Ortus back?" Martin asked uncertainly.

"Honestly, considering the pain it's inflicted, perhaps it's better that it's gone," her father said crossly.

"Magic will come when Magic is ready," Xenophilus blurted in that strangely serene tone of voice. Everyone just stared at him.

"Okay, on that note, let's get to work," her father said. "Hermione, work with Locklear and begin preparing to secure the Wizard population. I'm going to mobilize every current and past Auror who can still wield a wand to be in place so we can confront Nihilo and Nihila."

"I hope you're not going to tell me to hide and be safe," Lily said warningly.

Her father chuckled. "Though Ginny would kill me for saying otherwise, no. You keep working your angle, and if you find anything, let me know. Let's move!"

Her father and Aunt Hermione left the chamber with Locklear. Xenophilus said, "I shall go and await the end," then Disapparated. That left her and Martin.

"What about me?" He sounded absurdly lost.

Lily was less-than-enthused about being stuck with the Muggle—_no, Squib!_—but then sense got the better of her. "You come with me, Martin, there's something I want to look into."

* * *

As Lily and Martin exited the Ministry of Magic through the front fireplaces, a tall young witch and a short old wizard passed them by, garnering hardly a second thought from the guards. They made their way to the elevators, where they were joined by a harried young wizard from the Magical Law Enforcement Department.

"What a nightmare this situation is," Latimer McCondrick said to the couple. "Where are you headed?"

"Department of Mysteries," said the witch.

"There's only one Mystery that matters now, how to defeat the Great Elves," McCondrick said wistfully. "Do you think they have the answer to that?"

"No, but they do have the key to Wizardry's end," the wizard said with a smile.

The words didn't register to McCondrick right away. When they did, he asked: "What made you say that?"

Immediately the wizard hurled a pouch at him; enveloped in a faint red mist, McCondrick felt all strength leave him. "You'll find out soon enough."

As he struggled to bring his wand to bear, the witch took out a long needle and pierced his cheek. Instantly the poison took effect, and he slid, twitching, lifelessly to the floor. The elevator then chimed: "Department of Mysteries."

"Let's go," Nihila said as she reverted to her Elven form. Nihilo changed as well, and they exited the elevator. They were halfway to the chamber that held the Ortus when two Aurors spotted them.

"It's them!" he screamed. A flash of _Avada Kedavra _spells raced down the hallway, but they had no effect as they impacted their blooded robes.

"Uh oh," the other Auror said. Before she could fire another spell, Nihila sent an Overwhelming Crush curse at them; they slammed into the wall, and their broken bodies tumbled lifelessly to the floor.

Outside the Ortus' chamber, Nihila's lips curdled in a sneer. "Our adversaries are cleverer than we anticipated," she said in her gravelly voice.

"Fortunately, we are still a step ahead of them," Nihilo replied. Removing the Elder Wand from his pocket, he said. "It's not far." And indeed, a few minutes later found them outside the Death Room.

As they descended into the chamber, dozens of Aurors Apparated all around them. Nihilo and Nihila stood in front of the Veil, seemingly unconcerned. The Aurors fired all manner of disabling and stunning spells at them, with no effect. Yet still they did not respond.

"Surrender!" Harry Potter cried. "You're surrounded!"

"On the contrary, we are triumphant," Nihila said. She grabbed a column of the Veil, while Nihilo grabbed her, and raised the Elder Wand.

A blinding flash filled the chamber, causing everyone to stagger. When they regained their vision, Nihilo and Nihila were gone.

_Not just them,_ Harry realized; the Death Arch itself had disappeared with them.

* * *

In the study of his rebuilt home, Xenophilus Lovegood smoked a pipe as he carefully reviewed the Editorial for tomorrow's _Quibbler,_ the most important—and perhaps the last—polemic he would ever write:

…_therefore, fellow Witches and Wizards, when Magic leaves us and Magic ends, those who still survive must understand that it is the fault of ourselves, the fault of every Witch and Wizard who ever took Magic for granted, that is responsible for our fate. Whatever remains after the end, do not blame the Elves, or Muggles, or whoever may be behind our downfall, for the ultimate cause is staring us all in the face…_

Exhaling, he read the final line again. _'Staring us in the face,' that doesn't sound right. How about, 'the conjuror of our demise is ourselves.'_ He shook his head; still not satisfactory.

A loud BANG distracted him; the front door to his house had been Magicked away. Inside strode Nihilo and Nihila.

Xenophilus took out his pipe and rose to his feet, a pleasant smile on his face. _Strange how I feel no fear now, as the end of all things comes._ When Harry Potter finally freed him from the Prohibitorum Curse after all these years, the initial pain of remembering the truth of how his dear wife had died had seemed overwhelming, but then it became all clear: everything was happening as Magic intended. Upon that realization, all his pain and doubt had disappeared, replaced by a perfect Faith. _Magic will do as Magic does. If Magic wishes to end, that is good, for it will be what Magic desires._

"Xenophilus Lovegood," the female Great Elf rasped.

"It is I, servant of Magic," Lovegood replied.

"Where is the Ortus?"

"The Ortus is with Magic."

A blinding flash staggered him; he fell to the floor. "Harry Potter freed the Ortus from its containment," Nihilo growled. "He used it to travel into the Veil. What became of it?"

Struggling to his feet, Xenophilus couldn't help but smile. "I tell you the truth, Noble Elves, it has gone. Returned to Magic. If the Ortus' disappearance means Magic has withdrawn its favor from Wizardry, it is as Magic deems."

Nihila began to snarl. "You lie, wizard!" She pointed at him; invisible knives slashed him, and he cried in pain. "Where did the Ministry take the Ortus then? Tell me, and you will die without pain."

The pain was becoming overwhelming, yet to Xenophilus' relief he felt no hatred or even anger at his tormentor, because he _knew,_ Magic was behind it all. "I would help you myself Nihila, if it were Magic's will, but Magic is beyond our understanding."

Nihila screamed in fury, and Xenophilus could feel the life within him fading away. Only a pinch of regret remained: _if only I could have said goodbye to Luna and my grandsons before I returned to Magic, but Magic wills as it wills. Oh… Magic!_

* * *

Nihilo and Nihila stood over the still corpse. "Was his death really necessary?" Nihilo asked.

"Nothing can be allowed to stand in our way, now that we are so close," Nihila replied.

"It was… wasteful."

"If it makes you feel better, he was properly penitent. If all wizards were so…"

"…we would not have had to do what we must do."

"Yes."

"But how do we proceed without the Ortus?"

"If the Ortus is truly gone, then the wizarding world will fall, just as we planned."

"You trust the words of—"

"—Do not speak his name!" Nihila struggled to regain her control. "Despite his crimes, the Dark One's conclusions are without error. We will achieve our vengeance, one way or the other."

"So it seems."

* * *

Lily didn't think she would ever be able to stop crying. _What are we going to tell Godmother Luna?_

Grimfaced, her father nodded curtly, and several Aurors respectfully levitated Xenophilus' shrouded body and took him away, leaving Lily, her father, and Martin alone in the Lovegood's living room.

"Now more than ever, I wish I were a wizard," Martin said quietly.

"How so?"

"If I had the power, I'd kill Nihilo and Nihila myself."

As much as she shared the sentiment, Lily had the good sense not to indulge it. "It's not your fight, Martin—"

"—Like hell it is, Lily! If we don't do something, all witches and wizards are going to end up like Lovegood!"

"No, not as bad; worse," her father said softly.

"I don't understand."

Her father looked even more grim. "The last thing Nihilo and Nihila want is to kill all wizards." He stared intently at Martin. "They want wizards and witches to live as long as possible… knowing that their magical abilities were taken away from them."

Lily shuddered. _What could have happened to them to cause such hatred of wizards?_

"So, I guess their plan was to throw the Ortus into the Veil? So it would be gone forever, and therefore magic would end in this world?"

"Perhaps. They might have an alternative plan as well."

Lily was confused. "But how can they destroy Magic if they can't destroy the Ortus."

Her father pursed his lips, then said: "The disappearance of the Ortus might be enough."

Martin said: "I don't understand."

In response, her father took out his wand and conjured up a ball of iron three feet across. "_Levicorpus_," he said, and the iron ball lifted off the ground. He kept his wand pointed at it, and his wand arm began to shake. About a minute later, he gasped and dropped his arm, causing the ball to fall to the ground with a thud.

"Sixty four seconds, in case you weren't counting," he said. "Normally I can maintain _Levicorpus_ for at least seventy seconds."

Lily understood: "A standard test of magical strength. But there are so many other reasons your time was down: stress, lack of food or sleep, distractions—"

"—Perhaps, but that would only reduce my time a few seconds. Little things can have big significance, wouldn't you agree, Martin?"

Martin nodded. "It works that way in science, I guess no reason why it shouldn't in magic."

"We have to find them," Lily said. "For whatever reason, if the Ortus won't come back until Nihilo and Nihila are stopped—"

"—then magic will end, just like you said Dumbledore predicted," Martin finished.

Lily turned to her father: "Have you tried Tracing the Veil?"

"We did, but found nothing," her dad said. "It's probably a result of their anti-magical powers."

"That blood," Martin said. "It must have come from the Squib of Fate. We still have a few remaining traces of the Artisan's blood. Could we compare it with those of all other Squibs, somehow?"

"How would that help?" Lily asked.

Her father's eyes widened. "You may be onto something." He turned to her. "If this Squib of Fate is real, then Nihilo and Nihila must have found them only recently. If we can identify the Squib of Fate, it might lead us to them!"

* * *

Aunt Hermione looked exhausted as she wearily made her way to them. For the past twelve hours, she had been locked away in a potion dungeon, conjuring up a myriad of ancient concoctions and draughts.

"Nothing," she said, the frustration plain in her voice. "And the worst part is, the answer might be right under our noses!"

"I don't understand," Lily said.

"We've taken blood samples from every registered Squib in the Ministry's records, and none of them match," her aunt said.

Martin said: "So the blood might be from an unregistered Squib?"

"Or it might even be from a Muggle," Lily said. "The Artisan wasn't a Squib, so there's no reason why the Squib of Fate has to be a Squib."

"But, the prophecy spoke of a Squib of Fate?"

"Prophecies aren't always true," her father muttered.

Lily frowned. "So we're back to square one?"

"It looks that way, unless anyone has a better idea."

There was silence, then suddenly Martin jumped up. "I know what to do!"

"What?"

"We need the body of that Ministry worker who was killed by Nihilo and Nihila. Let's just pray there are traces left…"

* * *

_So this is a 'laboratory,' _Lily mused. _Not so different from a potion chamber!_

They were huddled inside Martin's laboratory, sitting across from a series of bubbling tubes and flasks that would not have looked out of place from their Potions' class. Martin was repeatedly pouring over information that was being displayed on something called a monitor.

"We were very lucky to recover a few cells from that poor McCondrick bloke," Martin said eagerly. "Through PCR, I've been able to amplify the sample enough to do a DNA check." Aunt Hermione nodded slowly in response, but Lily and her dad could only stare blankly at what was no more intelligible than Gobblinygook.

"So, with your machinery, you can tell whose blood it came from?" Lily asked, hoping she didn't sound like an idiot.

"Sorta." Martin's smile faded. "It may be 2027, but that doesn't mean we're now living in a _Gattaca_ world, thank God." Now even Aunt Hermione had a blank look of incomprehension on her face. Martin chuckled. "What I meant was, in theory a blood DNA test can uniquely identify an individual, but only if that individual's DNA profile has been taken and stored somewhere in the world. And while lots of places have DNA records for lots of different people, not everyone in the world—the Muggle world—has been DNA profiled. Which is actually a good thing, but not in this case."

"But if you haven't found a… DNA match, then we're no better off than when we began," Lily queried.

Martin nodded. "I searched every publicly-accessible database, but no exact match. However…" he suddenly went back to his computer and began typing furiously. Then he waited anxiously, tapping the table in a rapid, random manner that was most unnerving. His computer beeped, and Martin let out a whoop of triumph.

"What, what is it?"

"I don't have an exact DNA match, but through a comparative genomics analysis, I can tell you this: our Squib of Fate is Japanese."

"Japanese?"

"More specifically, he or she has Ainu ancestors. They're an isolated subpopulation in Japan, very distinct DNA subtypes. Our Squib is tied to Japan in some way, I'm certain of it." He hopped off the bench. "Time we booked a flight to Tokyo."

Her father took out his wand. "Actually, I think we've got a faster way!"

Martin laughed. "Wizard showoffs!"

* * *

Lily tried not to feel self-conscious in her lavender kimono robe, as she endured constant incredulous stares from the hordes of Japanese Muggles in the streets of Sapporo. To her surprise, they were almost all dressed like Muggles in England. As Martin explained, Muggle fashion, in particular 'business dress', was almost entirely uniform throughout the Muggle world, quite unlike the wizard world.

Her father, dressed in a super-sharp silk black kimono number, was walking behind her, while Aunt Hermione and Martin, who was dressed in a gray Muggle suit identical to those of the men, walked ahead. A middle-aged Muggle woman abruptly came up in front of Martin and began shouting at him in rapid-fire Japanese: _"Why are your colleagues insulting us in their faux Japanese garb?"_

"Uh, sorry, no _dekimasen_," he struggled to say.

"_Madam, we mean no offense,"_ Aunt Hermione said smoothly.

The woman glared at her, but then simply murmured, _"Crazy foreigners, what do they think this is, Halloween?"_ and walked off.

Martin wiped the sweat from his brow. "Care to put a _Reddo_ spell on me?"

"Sorry, Martin, it won't work on you," Aunt Hermione said sympathetically.

Martin sighed. "Just as well." After a few more minutes of uncomfortable stares, they finally reached a deserted back-alley that was unnaturally messy. Tapping three times on the giant _Nihon_ kanji spray-painted on the wall, it suddenly opened up for her dad, and the four of them strode through. To her relief, the Japanese wizards walking about were all wearing clothing identical to theirs—except for poor Martin, who was now once again doubly different from everyone else.

Her father led them to a noodle shop and they went inside. A tall wizard with an elegant silver-haired ponytail and sleek-grey robes came up to her dad and boomed: "Harry Potter! An honor to see you again!"

"Muri, it's been too long," he said graciously back. "Everyone, this is Muri Ako, a retired Auror. Ten years ago, he helped infiltrate a wizard smuggling group operating here in Japan. He knows everything that should or should not be happening here."

"No one can be on the sidelines in these perilous times," Muri said gravely.

"Pleasure," Aunt Hermione said, offering her hand, which Muri kissed gently.

"My daughter Lily, a handshake will suffice," her dad said with a laugh.

Martin looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Hi, I'm Martin Andrews."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, good Sir."

A sudden look of relief came upon Marin's face. "You speak English!"

"It would be rude not to. On behalf of all Wizards, let me once again thank you for your assistance, and apologize for any ill-treatment you may have received as you made your acquaintance with our world."

For some reason Lily felt self-conscious. Somewhat ill at ease himself, Martin said: "Right, well thanks."

"How may I be of help, Harry?"

In response, her dad summarized what they had learned to date. He concluded: "The problem is this: There are forty three Squibs on record in the Ministry of Magic here in Japan, yet none of them are the Squib of Fate. But the impeccable work of our friend Martin here has convinced me our Squib of Fate is Japanese, and of recent birth. Do you know anyone who might be the parents? Someone who might have secretly hidden the birth of a Squib child from the Ministry?"

Muri said nothing, but began to pace slowly. A few minutes later, he started speaking. "As you know, all magical births are tracked in the Ministry. It takes severe corruption—or powerful Dark Magic—to arrange things otherwise."

He fell silent again, resuming his pacing. Muri then said: "The Dark Lord's followers here were relatively few, but they were very well-connected, and very well-hidden. Everyone I investigated I either unmasked their crimes, or proved their innocence, except for one: Lord Azon."

Harry nodded in hidden understanding. Muri waved his wand, and a ghostly image formed before them: a tall, powerfully-built man, with long flowing black hair and glowing brown eyes; wearing a blazing-red kimono robe, his wand was sheathed on his left, with a glowing sword on his right.

"Lord Azon was a magical inventor, whose magical abilities rivaled those of Dumbledore himself," her father explained. "But he was very secretive, jealous of his privacy to a fault. As far as I knew, he never openly supported or favored Voldemort. But lots of wizards suspected him, even though he wasn't pure-blood." He smiled. "My investigations of him found nothing, which is why we turned the matter over to Muri."

"I too found nothing. That would be the end of the matter, except for his mysterious death."

Martin asked: "How did he die?"

"His wife, the Lady Kaya Tayumi, killed him."

"What? When?"

"About twelve years ago. She came to the Ministry and claimed her husband had tried to kill her, and she killed him in self-defense. We interrogated her, examined their wands, and the story was confirmed.

Lily asked: "So that was it?"

Muri nodded. "That was it. I bring his name up for one reason only: if anyone had the ability to hide a birth from the Ministry, Azon did. Officially, they had no children. Unofficially…"

"I guess we'll find out."

* * *

Deep in the forested woods surrounding Wakkanai, at the very northernmost tip of Ezochi, the Azon compound lay isolated and undisturbed. Lily tried to be at ease—and failed.

"Wands at the ready," Harry whispered as the three of them approached. Harry strode up to the front gate and rang the bell. A moment later, it opened. Striding into the courtyard, an elegant middle-aged woman with silver hair greeted them. Bowing deeply, she said: "Welcome, Harry Potter-san."

"Lady Kaya Tayumi," he said gravely, bowing in return.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"We wanted to ask about the death of your husband, Lord Azon."

She stiffened. "What else is there to know? He threatened to kill me, so I defended myself."

"All the evidence confirms it."

"So why then are you here?"

"Because it's all too neat, too clean. The wands, the results of the Veritaserum, everything."

"It's the truth!"

"As you understand it. I think you might remember differently." Upon those words, the Lady drew her wand, but her father _Expelliarmus'd _her before she could invoke a spell.

Her tone was venomous: "What are you going to do, kill me? After all these years?"

"No. I just want to examine your mind."

"You'll have to force your way in, I won't help!"

Alarmed, Aunt Hermione said, "Harry, you can't do this, it's illegal, we need a warrant—"

He cut her off. Turning to the Lady, he said: "The wizarding world might disappear tomorrow, if you don't help us!"

"But I know nothing!"

"And that's where you're wrong. _TENEO!_" Instantly the Lady froze, her mouth open wide in outrage.

"Harry!"

"No harm has come to her; she's under a Memory Charm."

"Who put it on her?"

Her father grimaced. "She did it to herself."

Lily gasped. "That's impossible!"

"Only for those not skilled in Dark Magic—like her husband obviously was." He continued to point his wand at her. "That should be long enough to lift the Charm." Lowering his wand, the Lady came to life, a dazed look in her eyes.

"Harry Potter? How, how did you get inside my home?"

"You let us in."

"No, I didn't—"

"—Lady Kaya Tayumi, you're going to find that your memories are ajar for the next few days. What I want you to do is concentrate."

"…Alright…"

"Did you ever have a child? What happened to her?"

Again the Lady froze, even though no wand was pointed at her. Then she said slowly: "Kikai."

"Who?"

"Our daughter-not-daughter." The hair on Lily's neck stood up. The Lady began to wander. "I remember… I remember now."

"What? Please, tell us, everything depends on it."

The Lady spoke as if she didn't hear her what her dad had said. "It was all about the Dark Lord."

Lily was not expecting that. Through gritted teeth, her father asked: "What about him?"

"My husband… he sympathized with his goals, but not his methods. Lord Azon wanted to purify the blood of wizards magically, not by discrimination, breeding or genocide." She closed her eyes and fell silent. "I remember… he travelled far and wide, searching in the dark and forgotten crevices of the wizard world, seeking the most powerful of ancient magics. All to purify his blood… and mine."

Lily was horrified. "He… magically experimented on himself and you?"

"He did. But his experiments were failures. Our first two children were stillborn. He used powerful Dark Magic to hide the results from the Ministry. The third child we had, a daughter, was born healthy, but there was something terribly wrong."

Aunt Hermione nodded. "She had no magical ability."

"It drove him into furious despair. Using the blood of a wizard he secretly killed, he tried to give her magical ability. But something went wrong…" She paused again, breathing heavily. Resuming, she said: "None of the spells had any effect on her. He took her blood—and lost all his magic."

"The Squib of Fate," Lily said softly.

"Powerless, he pleaded for me to kill her, but I would not. Then he begged me to kill him, as punishment for what he did. I… agreed." Lily closed her eyes, wishing she could close her ears. "Though I loved her, I knew she would be a danger to all wizardkind, so I secretly gave her up for adoption." She fell silent, a look of profound pain on her face. "But the pain afterwards was unbearable. So I looked through Lord Azon's notes, and found a self-reflecting Memory Charm. Very powerful, very dangerous. Once I used it, my pain was over… until you awoke it again."

"I'm sorry, m'Lady," her father said ashamedly.

The Lady waved him off. "No, after all these years, it's better to live with the truth."

Aunt Hermione came up to the Lady and put a sympathetic arm around her. "We all grieve for the tragedy that has befallen your family. Now, we ask you to make yet another sacrifice in defense of all wizards. Tell us about your daughter, where we can find her."

A look of despair came over the Lady's face. "I don't know."

* * *

"We're almost there," said her father. "Good work Martin!"

Martin grunted: "Thank me after we find Yumi."

They were now wearing regular Japanese Muggle clothing as they squirmed through the teaming streets of Hamura, a small town far on the outskirts of Edo. Their destination was a Pachinko parlor owned by one Satsuri Noriko, a single mother who had adopted the Lady's daughter. Although the Lady had no knowledge of who had adopted her daughter, by giving the date and location where it happened Martin had been able to search the Japanese genealogical records and pinpoint possible candidates.

What made Yumi Norkio the most likely candidate was less her genealogy than her most-recent history: according to the newspapers, three months ago, she had been kidnapped, and her fate was unknown. _And only a month later, _Lily thought grimly, _Nihilo and Nihila began openly attacking the Wizard World; a simple matter, once they had the blood of the Squib of Fate in hand._

As Martin began winning profusely—thanks to Lily's surreptitious use of her wand—Miss Noriko came out. Quickly and quietly her dad and aunt ushered her into the back.

It was hard on Lily to see the pain in Satsuri's eyes as through Legilimens she recounted the details of what happened to Yumi: three months ago, her daughter of thirteen had disappeared after school. Coincidentally, a male classmate of hers who had joined the school only six months before had disappeared the day after she did. Reading through Yumi's electronic diary, there were repeated mentions of a handsome classmate named Hitoshi, who seemed to express constant interest in her. _No wonder, when he really wanted her blood!_

The last entry was an excited scribble about an after-school safari they were planning to do in the foothills of Mount Odake. Yumi had disappeared the next day.

* * *

"No traces of magic anywhere," Aunt Hermione said disappointingly as they returned to Edo, the sun rising after a long night of searching.

"We're so close," her father said with a hint of anger. "Do you think we should inform the Muggle government about this?"

Her aunt shifted uneasily. "Minister Locklear—and Shacklebolt before him—have been very adamant about not involving them at all. For obvious reasons."

Her father nodded grimly. Lily was about to ask what those reasons were when it hit her suddenly: _if Muggles knew Wizards were vulnerable, would they help… or hurt?_

"If we can't find where Hitoshi took Yumi, what then?" Martin asked.

Lily blurted it out just before her father was about to: "Let's look into this 'Hitoshi' guy, maybe he left some clues."

* * *

_You need a little luck,_ Lily thought happily as they made their way deeper into the cave.

It was clear that 'Hitoshi' was either Nihilo or Nihila, or possibly a sympathizer, though that last was very unlikely. Moreover, it was also clear that Hitoshi knew of Yumi's unique latent abilities—he couldn't use the Imperius Curse on her, or Transfigure or Apparate her away. The only safe way for him to apprehend her was to physically kidnap her, and to do that safely it had to be at the right place and the right time.

While using nonmagical methods to capture her, Hitoshi clearly did not think it necessary to use the same precautions elsewhere: he had been registered at Yumi's school as Hitoshi Kawaguchi, but the family he 'lived' with had no memory of him. Careful Legilimency performed on the Kawaguchi family uncovered the fact that Hitoshi used a Memory Charm to burrow into their household as cover for his target. While he only stayed there sporadically as a base, there was a small collection of items that Hitoshi had collected in the meantime. Most of them were typical children's stuff, but Martin pointed out one thing of interest: paired Pokemon cards.

Apparently Yumi and Hitoshi had played games together often. One of the games they played were based on paired Pokemon character cards, and from that set of 12 pairs, 9 of the pairs either Yumi or Hitoshi possessed both cards. In two of the pairs each of them held one of the pair. But for the final pair, Hitoshi had one and the other was missing. That other card of the final pair was either lost—or in the possession of Yumi.

Both she and Martin had been skeptical that Yumi actually still had her pair in possession, but Aunt Hermione's Search Spell had indeed found it, and it was inside Mount Jinba, a few miles to the south. Later that evening they Apparated to the spot, finding themselves inside a giant cave with a single passageway leading deeper inside. Both her father and aunt had strenuously objected to Martin coming along, saying it was too dangerous, but unlike the foray to the Lady Kaya Tayumi's home, Lily was successful in convincing them to allow him to come. "I'll do my best to stop Nihilo and Nihila or die trying," Martin had grimly vowed.

The passageway through the cave, thoroughly dark at first, began to lighten. Rather abruptly they found themselves in a well-lit cave complex lined with shiny red-grey stone and an unnaturally high degree of light. Exploring around, it was an utter shock when around one corner they suddenly found the Squib of Fate.

Yumi Norkio, still dressed in her Japanese student uniform, was chained on her left wrist to a giant pole that had been driven into the earth. She seemed healthy, but extremely thin, and to her horror Lily noted numerous healed cut scars on her right arm and neck; her white blouse had quite a few reddish stains on it as well, clearly indicating what had been done to her in captivity. She recoiled in fear at their appearance.

Instantly her father took out her wand and severed the chain that had been holding her. Magically augmenting her rations and water supply, her aunt came over and shared them with Yumi, soothing her and telling her over and over that she would be okay.

"They're here," Yumi said repeatedly in a soft but high voice. "They'll be coming soon."

"Don't worry, we're leaving now. Everyone, grab hold!" Lily did so in preparation to Disapparate. But nothing happened.

"I'm afraid you can't leave, not yet at least." The booming amplification of Nihilo's voice seemed to originate from everywhere.

Instantly her father threw Yumi and Marin behind him. Lily, her father and her aunt stood back to back, wands pointed outward, while they protected Yumi and Martin.

There was movement in the corner of Lily's eye; Aunt Hermione fired a Stunning Spell at a pile of rocks, which shattered on impact. Suddenly the metal chain that had imprisoned Yumi jerked and came to life; multiplying and lengthening, it wrapped itself around the five of them, until they were so tightly bound they couldn't move. Legs buckling, they collapsed to the ground.

From out of the shadows two figures emerged. It was the Great Elves Nihilo and Nihila: slightly shorter than her father, their brown scaly leathery skin covered slender frames. They wore maroon robes (bathed in Yumi's blood, Lily realized with a shudder), but were otherwise clothless. Their batlike ears were fully extended, and they stared at Lily with giant catlike eyes, bright yellow with slitted pupils. Nihila had a tuft of white hair that was styled in a vaguely female way, while Nihilo (who was somewhat shorter but more stout) had a dark brown-gray main that was styled like a ponytail.

Lily was outraged to notice Nihilo was brandishing the Elder Wand. _How dare you desecrate Dumbledore's Tomb!_ Curiously, Nihila carried no wand, but pointed at them with her wand hand, as if she were carrying a wand.

The five of them had shifted around so that they were all now able to roughly face in the same direction. Nihila and Nihilo stood before them.

"I must congratulate you, Harry Potter," Nihila's rasp whispy voice called out, distinctively female. "Against all odds, you managed to find us."

"It wasn't just me, it was all of us, and a whole bunch of others," he retorted. "Together we found you, and together we'll stop you."

"You're in a poor position to do so now," she taunted.

"Whatever you're intentions, you must realize there's no way you can succeed," Aunt Hermione called out defiantly. "The fact that you still use magic means you will never be able to destroy magic."

"Very clever," Nihilo said. "But you made an assumption that we want to retain magic. What if that assumption were false?"

"You will still be with Magic after wizards fall, I swore it," Nihila said, her voice strangely emphatic.

"Whatever your choice, I will follow as well."

"It is not your choice to make."

"But…"

"No."

_Apparently Nihila is in charge. Are Great Elves matriarchal?_ Her dad had picked up the same dynamics Lily had, for he was directing his speech to Nihila alone: "Nihila, please, listen to me," he said quickly. "I don't know what happened to you, but I'm sure you feel it justifies your actions—"

"—you know very well how justified I am—"

"—but inflicting harm, suffering, on others, it won't salve your pain, no matter how much you do so."

Nihila hesitated. "From anyone but you, I would dismiss such words as baseless prattle."

"But I am me, and I'm telling you the truth." Lily marveled at her father's gift for persuasiveness, even on the verge of annihilation. He continued, rapidly but comprehendingly: "You want something, maybe we can give it to you."

"Can you bring the dead to life?"

Her father grimaced. "No. No I can't." _After all, there are things even Harry Potter can't do._

"Then will you kill all who deserve it?"

He emphatically shook his head. "No one deserves to die."

Nihila snorted: "Then you are useless to me, and your fate shall be theirs."

Her father paused, lost in thought, but only for a moment. "Nihila—"

"—Nothing!"

"—Nihilia, obviously I don't know your background, the history of your Great Elves, but wizardry has changed, has made amends, with the way we treat other beings. No one has fought longer and harder for the rights of the oppressed, for House Elves and Goblins, than me and Hermione, and our friends. End your violence, and we'll do even more. We can't change the past, but we can work together for a better future."

Nihila did not respond. At first the Great Elf's facial expressions were inscrutable, but the more Lily observed, the more she thought she could comprehend. _Clearly she's thinking about what he said; the corners of her mouth are creaking upwards, a smile; head tilting, it seems like… bemused?_

Suddenly Nihila did something unexpected: she began to laugh. A rasping, hissy laugh, as it gained strength it sounded more familiar, almost human. Nihilo began to laugh as well.

"We? Us Great Elves?" Nihila laughed openly. "My dear Harry, I could care less for such creatures!" More laughter, becoming unpleasant, ugly.

Those words gave her father some pause. "I'm sorry?"

"Elves, Great Elves, what do they mean to me? Nothing at all!"

Now her father seemed at a loss for words. He glanced at her aunt, who then said: "I'm sorry, we don't understand, as Great Elves—"

Nihila cut them off with a snarl and a wave of her hand which silenced them. "Your arrogance is the only thing I hate in you both. You think you understand, you know, but your ignorance is so vast, it makes you as guilty as them!"

Worried, Lily joined in: "Then please, please explain to us, we want to help."

Nihilo and Nihila regarded her with their pitiless eyes, causing Lily to shudder. Nihilo turned to Nihila and said: "It is time."

Slowly Nihila nodded. "Yes, it is time." She took a step towards them. "Harry Potter, you came here to stop me. But after I tell you the truth of things, you will be the first to join me at my side."

Contemptuously, her father said: "I don't know who you are, but you don't know anything about me if you think for a second I or any of us would help you in your mad schemes for destruction!"

Nihila smiled. "But you do know me, Harry, and I know you. And because you know how I came to be, you will complete my quest."

A flash of doubt appeared in her father's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it was there. "Don't count on it," he spat.

Nihila stepped back. "It is time Nihilo and Nihila cast off their masks." She raised her arms upwards, half-proffering them. And then her figure began to change. Brown flesh twisted and curled, smoothing out and losing color.

Her face was the last to transform. It melted, shifted, and reformed. Nihila no longer wore the inhuman visage of an angry Great Elf. Instead, it was now the face of an aged human woman, with a sadly all-too-familiar expression: pain.

Almost simultaneously her father and aunt gasped in total astonishment. Strangely Lily did not do so; for some reason it took longer for her mind to process the impossible. But when the truth could no longer be denied, the incomprehensible unreality that it represented overwhelmed her. Her mind shut down, stuck in a continual loop of denial. _It's not her, it can't be; it's not possible, this is a bad dream…_

As Lily continued to reject the truth before her, Harry Potter finally found the strength to react. It took all his strength to spit out a single word:

"Andromeda."


	16. Chapter 16 The Last Wizard

**Chapter 16 – The Last Wizard**

* * *

Nihilo began to transform. His Elven figure became the familiar one of Teddy Lupin. _It just can't be. _Coming up to them, Teddy took their wands and pocketed them, his face somber.

Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin were still garbed in their red Great Elf robes. "I think we can dispense with these," Andromeda said. With a flick of wrist, the robes vanished, and they were garbed as they typically were; Andromeda wearing a simple grey wardrobe, Teddy a rough and tumble sienna robing.

"Why?" her father asked harshly.

Andromeda Tonks hesitated before replying: "Justice."

"There's no justice in revenge," her aunt said in a cold tone of voice that Lily had never heard before, but which Rose had often hinted at with fear and awe.

"But there is revenge in justice." Aunt Hermione scowled, but did not respond. Andromeda moved towards them, her gait slow and tentative, lacking any hint of the powerful imposing figure she wore as Nihila. "You will see."

"So they're not Great Elves?" Martin asked in confusion, obviously ignorant of the significance of who was standing before them.

Andromeda laughed softly, then smiled—a curiously warm and inviting countenance. "No my dear wizard, there are no Great Elves—not anymore at least." Her smile faded till her lips were a tight even line. "What better persona to clothe our quest, than in the garb of a mythical race that inspires fear and awe, especially among the pureblood?" Now her face took on an ugly sneer. "You should have seen Lucius grovel before me, before I robbed him of the gifts he so monstrously abused from Magic."

"Quite the Metamorphangus you are, Andromeda," her father said shortly.

"It's a gift my dear grandson shares," Andromeda replied. "My own mother and sisters always deemed it shameful, which I could never understand—how could one be _too_ magical? But I eventually learned that pureblood ideology never required consistency."

"I still don't understand, why are you doing this?" Martin asked.

Now Andromeda's face contorted with rage; she raised her hand as if to strike. Lily quickly intervened: "Martin Andrews is a Squib, cutoff from the magical world since birth; we enlisted his help, but he has nothing to do with this, please, let him go."

Andromeda froze in midstride. She then rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I see. Your new colleagues never told you the story of their great achievements?" She _tsked tsked _at her father disapprovingly. "You should have at least given dear Martin here the essentials, Harry, before getting him mixed up in this."

"The past happened; I much prefer living in the present, and for the future," her father said quietly, giving her an ineffable look—and a smile. Lily tried to keep her lips from quivering.

"Such a humble boy." Andromeda's face suddenly took a warm, understanding look, one familiar to Lily yet presently monstrously out of place. "Some of us are not so fortunate to have that luxury," she said even more quietly. Andromeda began to wander the cavern in silence; Ted was tight-lipped and silent, but held the Elder Wand steady at them. She then sat down on a rock. "I feel a connection with you, Martin Andrews, even though we only just met. You remind me a bit of some old family relations."

"Uh, okay," Martin replied, casting a questioning glance Lily's way.

"Harry over there is too modest to tell you the tale, so I'll be happy to do so instead." She closed her eyes. "Your wizard colleague, whom you joined to stop the Evil Nihila and Nihilo, is the most famous wizard of our age, because twice he was able to defeat Voldermort, the most powerful and evil wizard in the history of wizardkind. First, he did so as a baby, then later just as he came of age."

Martin's eyes widened. Sighing, her father said, "Without the embellishment, she tells the truth. So far." He glared at Andromeda.

Andromeda smiled. "So my dear Martin, my story begins where Harry's story reaches its triumphant conclusion." Her eyes narrowed. "After it was all over, Harry, do you remember how much the wizarding world hailed your victory? All the fetes in your honor?"

"All too well," her father said abashedly. "It's nothing I ever wanted, I just did what I thought was right."

Andromeda clapped her hands in what Lily thought was mock delight. "Indeed! As you know, Harry, I shared your triumph as well. I was there, holding my newborn grandson in my arms when they honored you in that ceremony in front of the Ministry of Magic." Her father blushed in response. Lily remembered: _he wasn't there, he was still in school, but the powers that be went ahead and did it anyway. _Martin was about to say something, but Lily savagely nudged him, and he took the hint and remained silent.

"Such a wonderful day," Andromeda repeated in a wistful tone of voice. "But after the ceremonies ended, all the wizards and witches in attendance returned to their homes. Returned to their loved ones, thankful that the Dark Lord's reign of terror was ended, and they could go in with their lives. I too, returned home, but mine was an empty one." Lily braced herself for the awful revelation she knew was coming. "Never again would I welcome home my dear husband Ted Tonks, brutally slaughtered by Snatchers. Nor would I ever see my only daughter, Nymphadora, dead at the hands of the Death Eaters."

Martin's eyes widened. Andromeda laughed bitterly. "I would never again see even my fallen sister, who died—justifiably so, I must reluctantly admit—at the hands of your mother-in-law, Harry. Your dear, sweet grandmother, Lily."

Her father and aunt closed their eyes and looked away. Lily gasped at the import of her words: _Grandma Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange?_

"But my loss is but a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. After all, the Dark Lord was gone! Everything was at last right with the wizarding world, all thanks to you and your friends, Harry." Her father looked grim. "Please don't misunderstand me, I was grateful as well! Still am!"

"All of Voldemort's accomplices were brought to justice," aunt Hermione said quietly. "I can understand why you, and others who suffered loss as you did, might have wanted more than what they were sentenced to. But surely you realize, the value of life is not affirmed by killing those who take it. Killing in the name of justice would have made us no different than the Dark Lord we all opposed."

"I agree, Hermione. But I'm afraid you and Harry, for all the good that you did, failed to think about the larger meaning of things. Why did Voldemort commit the crimes that he did?"

"He didn't have a happy childhood," her father immediately replied, "but then again, neither did I. It's what we choose to do in life that defines us, not our abilities." _That's such a 'Harry Potter' thing to say!_

Andromeda shook her head. "He may have chose selfishly, but not without reason. Like all purebloods, he believed in wizard superiority. And what gave him that belief? The ability to commit the crimes he would commit later in life? Magic itself."

After pondering her response, her father said, "I don't understand", which surprised Lily. _He understands everything—or it sure seems that way._

"Do you feel superior to the Muggles, Harry?" It was such an unorthodox question that Lily could not answer it for herself. _Yes? Maybe?_

Her father replied indignantly: "Certainly not! I was once one, remember?" _Was he?_

"Ah, but after you found out you were a wizard, everything changed, didn't it?"

"It couldn't help but do so—"

"—you never considered yourself a Muggle again after that, did you Harry?"

"—I mean, not exactly, but—"

"—what of you, Hermione? You were Muggle-born just like Ted's grandfather. Did you think of yourself as a witch? Or as a Muggle with magical powers?"

Her aunt looked as uncomfortable as her father did. "From the moment I got the letter from Hogwarts, I considered myself a witch."

"And were you glad to be a witch? Were you proud of your newly-discovered abilities?"

Her aunt responded: "Well, I was probably more relieved than anything, as it explained all the strange things that happen to me while I was growing up—"

"—so you were relieved that you were no longer a Muggle!"

"—no, well, more specifically, I wasn't ashamed!" Her aunt's tone was defensive, which was a rare thing. "When you change, or more properly when you realize you're something that you didn't think you were before, the proper course of action is to accept yourself, and not deny the truth." She paused. "Truthfully, I never thought of myself as a witch before Hogwarts, and I never thought of myself as a Muggle afterwards."

Her father glanced her way, but said nothing, his face a mask. _He probably wishes she didn't say that, even if it's the truth, for fear of antagonizing Andromeda._

"And we witches and wizards are more than Muggles, are we not? Better than them, yes?"

"No," her father and aunt replied simultaneously. _But aren't we?_

Andromeda smiled, but its effect was chilling. "I admire your modesty, but self-deceit in the face of truth is futile."

"It's true, wizards and witches can do magic, and Muggles—and Squibs—can't, but that doesn't mean we're any different otherwise!" Martin said heatedly.

Abruptly Andromeda's anger vanished. "Such a noble Squib—Muggle, my apologies, Martin." Her voice was absurdly motherly. "For what it's worth, I wish it were so, just like Harry and Hermione do. But you and I know better." Sweetly, she continued: "Tell me, Martin; having been introduced to the magical world, do you not marvel at what witches and wizards can do? Do you not wish you could do them as well, knowing that you cannot by circumstance of birth?"

Martin tried to look defiant, but something faltered. Softly he said: "You're… you're right; ever since I learned the truth about my heritage, I wished I were a wizard." He cast a desperate glance her way. "And never more so than after Lily showed me her magic."

Now Lily felt ashamed; she did not know why. Andromeda nodded in satisfaction. "You see, Harry? This is the root of the problem, the dichotomy that gave rise to Lord Voldemort—the fact that Magic is with some of us, but not all of us." She looked grave. "As long as the world is divided between wizards and Muggles, Muggles will always fear and hate those with Magic, and wizards will be tempted to exert power over Muggles, because Magic makes it possible."

"Wizards and Muggles may be different because of Magic, but we're all still human beings, all equally worthy of respect," her father replied with incredible passion. "There are good Muggles and bad Muggles, just like there are good wizards and bad wizards. What makes us good and bad isn't magic or lack thereof, it's what we do with the abilities we do have."

Andromeda shook her head sadly. "Your faith in wizards and Muggles—'humanity' as you call it—is touching, but your faith in their ability to choose wisely is naïve." Her face scrunched up in sudden anger. "Worse than that, it is profoundly _wrong_. Such a stance will always leave the initiative to those who would do evil. And when the next Voldemort arises because you would leave him the choice to do so, there may not be another Harry Potter willing or able to stop him."

"Harry's right, the freedom to choose is the most precious freedom of all," her aunt said.

"No, dear Hermione, the most precious thing of all is ensuring that what Voldemort tried to do never happens again," Andromeda hissed, now sounding very much like Nihila. "Wizards—people—cannot be entrusted with the power Magic gives them. That is the real lesson of Voldemort's legacy." Her eyes blazed with conviction. "The only way to bring justice to the past, present, and future victims of Magic is to destroy what made them victims in the first place—Magic itself."

Lily was horrified, not least because she couldn't help but a feel a twinge of persuasiveness to her otherwise mad statements. _If there was no magic, would Remus Lupin, Ted and Nymphadora Tonks be alive today? _

"I wish everyone were wizards," her father said (Lily wondered if it was the truth), "but that isn't the case. No one knows why. And it's irrelevant; there's nothing wrong with the fact that some people are wizards, and some are not."

"But if there was no Magic, then this world would still be filled with Muggles. Imagine that, Harry—a world without Magic." Andromeda raised her voice, still not very loud but penetrating to the core. "Would there be anything undesirable about that scenario, Harry? Would such a world be inferior to this one? Would it be _wrong_?"

Her father did not answer, but he looked unhappy. _The honest answer—for him at least—is No. But he won't give her the satisfaction._

Andromeda smiled. "Exactly. I kept asking Magic why things happened as they did, the reason for my pain and the pain of so many others, but Magic never answered. It then finally became clear to me; the reason for our pain, our suffering, for injustice—is Magic itself. Our precious magical abilities, instead of being used for good, were used for evil—and would always be a source for evil, for suffering, for death."

"That's just the nature of power," Martin interjected forcefully. "The Muggle world is no different, technology is no different, it can be used for good or evil! Magic itself is not the problem, I know at least that much!

Andromeda rubbed her chin. "Not being a Muggle, Martin, I can't speak about your 'technology'. Ted always tried to explain it to me, and I could never understand it. But the question before us is the crimes of Wizards, not Muggles."

Turning away, she began wandering about. When Andromeda spoke, it seemed more that she was voicing her thoughts than talking to them: "Even with this revelation, it gave me no comfort, because I ignored what it logically compelled. For years I tried to ignore the cries within for justice against wizardry. Instead, I dedicated myself to raising my grandson, seeing him through years of loneliness, comforting him when he would cry at night to be with the father and mother he would never know." Lily's eyes became moist.

"I shared his pain, but as you counsel, Harry, I did not wallow it, did not subject Teddy to it. Instead, I tried to do what so many at the Ministry kept saying, to 'move on'. For many years, at great cost to myself, I was able to, but as Teddy grew from a child to a young wizard, I saw more and more of his grandfather and mother in his fine features."

Teddy stood impassive, a grim, somber look on his face. Andromeda stopped, wiping her eyes. She then continued: "Then I realized that what I wanted, yearned for, was not just justice for me, but justice for him. Our family's blood, and the blood of all Magic's victims, was crying out to be avenged. And most important, I realized who my enemy was, what must be destroyed for justice to prevail—Magic itself. So when he was almost as old as you were when you confronted Voldemort for the second time, I came to Teddy and asked him to enlist in my crusade. I would not ask him to be a murderer, but I promised that if he joined me, he would have the justice—" she glanced contemptuously at Aunt Hermione, "—yes, the _revenge_—we both wanted so much." She turned to Teddy. "And how did you respond?"

Teddy hesitated, then said: "What happened to my family could not stand. I will join you." Inside, Lily's heart broke.

"And after taking a few small steps to bolster his commitment to our cause, so it began: our long and lonely quest to avenge the victims of Magic by destroying Magic," Andromeda said. "I admit, I had no idea how to proceed, but almost immediately afterwards, you helped us immeasurably, Harry. Do you know what I refer to?"

"I do." Her father's head hung low. Raising it, he said hoarsely to Lily and her aunt: "The summer before Teddy first went to Hogwarts, I told him everything I knew from the moment his father and mother were married, until the end." Reacting to her incredulous look, as well as those of her aunt's, her father said: "Despite his manipulations, I loved Dumbledore. In many ways he was my role model, but I vowed never to be like him and hide the truth from those who needed it most. So after Remus made me Teddy's godfather, after it was over I promised myself to tell Teddy as soon as I thought Teddy could handle it."

"But eleven? Harry, how could you—"

"—I wasn't going to wait till he was of age," her father snapped. Then he suddenly looked ashamed. Continuing: "I told him of the pain I felt when I found his parents dead in the Great Hall. I told him what I was going to do after that, and I told him of using the Resurrection Stone to see my parents and Remus again—" he paused. "Of course." He fell silent, a cross look on his face.

Andromeda nodded. "When Teddy told me what you told him, I knew where to begin. You told Teddy you abandoned the Resurrection Stone in the Forbidden Forest, just before you so bravely decided to sacrifice yourself to save your friends. Upon hearing of its powers, I knew what I had to do. I spent a long year searching those dark and gloomy woods… until I found it." She took a small stone out of her pocket and showed it to them.

Her father and aunt looked horrified. Despite the terrible situation, Lily was enraptured at learning the truth at last—even if their end would likely follow shortly.

"At first I wanted to see Ted and Nymphadora, but I remembered what you told Teddy, that to do so would only bring pain to those you tried to bring back. But there were others I wanted to speak to, who I would not care if they were hurt." Andromeda's face became twisted with dark glee. "I summoned my dead sister, Bellatrix."

"What was she like?" her aunt asked. Her father looked away; apparently he could care less. Lily giggled uncontrollably. _Just like my aunt, always wanting to know more!_

Andromeda grimaced. "She was… disfigured. Apparently the crimes of this world are reflected in your soul in the next. But I kept her in my presence, no matter her torment, until she told me what I wanted: I wanted access to the deepest secrets of Dark Magic. I wanted her to tell me everything she knew, anything that would allow me to do the most pain to wizards everywhere. So after endless agony, she finally told me of what she learned from Lord Voldemort."

She paused and wrinkled her face, as if she had smelled something noxious. "Apparently the Dark Lord was infatuated with my sister, and repeatedly decided to take her at his whim. Using this to her advantage, my sister used ancient dark witchcraft, which allowed her to steal secrets from his mind while he consummated the act of love." Lily forced herself not to wretch. "Through it, she learned of his Horcruxes, and of a nameless anti-magic magic that the Dark Lord had found during his years of wandering after Hogwarts. But she could only uncover surface details, so I had to go to the source: I then summoned Lord Voldemort."

With his free hand her father's left hand instantly leaped up to touch his scar. "Don't worry, Harry, Lord Voldemort is still dead. Worse than dead, even." Now there was a deep satisfaction in the tone of Andromeda's voice.

"I know. I saw him," her dad said quietly, with no satisfaction in his voice.

"What happened to him?" Martin asked.

There was a look of ineffable joy on Andromeda's face. "You not only killed him, Harry, you left him a stunted, bleeding infant in the world beyond, a tortured shadow of himself. He will be trapped in that state forever. Thank you, Harry, thank you," she said fervently.

Lily swallowed at the horrible vision of what had happened. _Did even Voldemort deserve that?_

Andromeda continued: "It took time to reach him in his stunted form, but by appearing as his long-despised mother, I was finally able to trick him into telling me what he discovered at Slytherin's Tomb. I then went there and took as much of the blood as I could. I used some of it to break into Dumbledore's Tomb and obtain the Elder Wand."

Teddy suddenly spoke: "It's a jealous servant, Harry. Because you renounced it, the Elder Wand renounced you, and now we wield its power in full. You would have been better served had you destroyed it."

"I'd much rather you had not taken the wrong lessons from what I told you, Teddy, " her father said sadly. Teddy scowled and said nothing in reply.

Andromeda continued: "From Voldemort I also learned of the Ortus and its potential powers. He had speculated that if one could possess it, and hurl it into the Veil, it would cut off magic at the source. Alternatively, he though if you could take the Ortus and place it in the blood of the Squib of Fate, that too would destroy all Magic in this world." She frowned. "The only problem was that I needed someone whose blood was like that of the Artisan, and who knew when or if such a person would ever appear again? Fortunately, Voldemort had solved that problem; for other reasons he had created a spell that could duplicate a person's blood, if the remnants of that blood were placed in a newborn child."

Andromeda fell silent. As Lily processed what she had told them, suddenly her father's eyes blazed with fire. In a terrifyingly enraged tone of voice he shouted: "Lord Azon! He created the Squib of Fate on purpose—because you made him do it!"

Andromeda simply nodded. "I did. He was a secret follower of the Dark Lord, and originally I had planned to kill him when Bellatrix told me of his true loyalties. But after investigating further, I decided to use his abilities to my advantage. It was not easy, he was both paranoid and skilled in his personal defenses, but by impersonating his wife with my Metamorphangus abilities, I was able to place the Imperius Curse on Azon, and he did not fail me. After many attempts, he created the Squib of Fate."

"But you didn't use Yumi's blood right away, did you?" her aunt asked before Lily realized the difference in time. "Why not?"

Andromeda looked sheepish. "When I saw Yumi as a newborn, I couldn't harm her, as my plan originally would have required. So I decided to let her live, to grow up. When she was older, I would be able to take more of her blood safely." Yumi looked furious and glared at Andromeda, but said nothing. "It was hard waiting those ten long years, but it was worth it."

"Such squeamishness for killing," her father taunted, "yet it didn't stop you with McCondrick, or Lovegood, or who knows who else!" Lily was shocked at his venomous tone of voice. _Not hatred; anger. He's _righteously_ angry!_

Andromeda snorted: "Strange, you never seemed squeamish about inflicting death, Harry."

"I _never_ killed anyone!" he responded hotly.

"Dear Professor Quirrel might have a quibble about that."

"I didn't kill him; he died when Voldemort fled his body."

"Because you forced him out. But that's an argument for another day." She looked somber. "I regret having caused the deaths of McCondrick, Lovegood, and even Azon, but they were the last obstacles in my path; I could not let anything stop me when I was so close."

"So… you're going to kill all wizards?" Martin said, appalled.

"No, my dear Squib. I'm going to make them all like you. Wizarding powers will disappear once I destroy the Ortus." With a wave of her hand, there was a tremendous flash; a hundred feet away the Veil appeared out of nothingness, the great stone arch standing prominently with the fluttering veil covering its entrance. "The time is now. Please give me the Ortus, Harry Potter."

He smiled. "I don't have it, no one does. Which means your plan is worthless."

Andromeda laughed. "You know better, Harry; without the presence of the Ortus in this world, Magic will eventually die. If you want to save Wizardry, you'd better convince it to come back."

Her father said nothing, nor did her aunt. Their faces seemed locked in silent concentration. Lily realized what they were doing; they were trying to summon the Ortus to them—if it returned, perhaps they could use it to fight Andromeda, or convince it to fight them. She did so as well: _Ortus of Magic, please return to us!_

"Oho! One of you has it!" Andromeda clapped her hands happily.

They all looked at each other. _I don't have it, _Lily thought confusedly. Andromeda strode over to them, reached into Martin's pocket, and pulled out the Ortus!

Martin looked sheepish. "I was also wishing I could have it, and then the Ortus suddenly appeared in my pocket."

"I know the feeling," her father said.

Andromeda had a look of total satisfaction in her face. She held the strange crystal that seemed to be there yet not there. "So, now that Magic is with me, what shall we do?"

Martin yelled: "Don't do it, Andromeda!"

"I'm sorry, Martin, it's all for the good. Experience magic's end." She tossed it into the Veil—

—and it flew out the other side, clattering to the ground. Andromeda and Teddy frowned.

"Apparently it has different plans," Harry retorted.

"No matter." She went over and picked up the Ortus.

"It's no use, Andromeda, Magic will not destroy itself," her aunt said.

Andromeda smiled. "It appears there's at least one scroll in this world that I have read and you have not. Merlin himself speculated that Magic could and would do so, if it were so asked. We shall see." She sat down on the rock and held it aloft like a torch, saying nothing.

"What will you do?" Teddy asked.

With a wave of her hand, a small golden oil lantern appeared in midair. Grabbing it, she said: "Your grandfather was Muggle-born, and told me of the many odd tales about Magic that Muggles had. One of them always entertained me: the Genie in the Lamp."

"The what?" Lily asked.

"I don't understand," Teddy said.

Andromeda opened the lantern and placed the Ortus inside. "Like Magic in general, the Ortus is what one makes it to be. So my dear Teddy, I'm going to make a wish."

Teddy looked consternated. "No, Grandmother—"

Andromeda called out: "Ortus of Magic, I wish that all wizards and witches everywhere shall be stripped of their Magic for all time, with the exception of my grandson, Teddy Lupin. He will be the Last Wizard of old. But through him, a new Wizardry shall be born." She paused. "If you wish, you may choose Harry Potter's daughter, Lily Potter, to be your consort to create the new Wizarding World."

"Like hell!" Lily said hotly. "Teddy, what's gotten into you? How could you do this?"

Teddy turned away. "You don't understand. Justice needs to be done."

"How would it be justice if all wizards became Squibs? Is that what you want?"

Teddy hesitated. "We all must pay."

"If you agree with this scheme, I will never forgive you," Lily said vehemently. "Turn away and all is forgiven. It's not too late!"

Teddy looked hesitant. Turning to Andromeda, he said: "Is there no other way?"

Andromeda shook her head. "Either Magic dies, or I will."

Teddy nodded. "Whatever you decide, our fates cannot be any different than theirs."

"And they won't be."

Teddy turned away from the group. "Then I won't stop you."

"No!" Lily cried.

Andromeda smiled and held the lantern, rubbing it three times. At first nothing happened—then suddenly a giant hourglass appeared out of nowhere. No one said anything. _Why an hourglass?_

Andromeda stood over the hourglass, lost in thought. Then she smiled. "I understand. Teddy, we will need a pint of Yumi's blood. I will place the Ortus into the bottom of the hourglass, and pour the blood in from the top. Once all the blood runs down and surrounds the Ortus, Magic will die."

Teddy fished out a knife and left to obtain a flask. While Andromeda was preparing to place the Ortus within the hourglass, Yumi nudged her.

"What is it Yumi?" Lily whispered.

"_Cut me,"_ she mouthed, proffering to Lily her scarred left arm.

Lily looked aghast. "What?"

"Cut me!" Yumi insisted.

Martin understood; urgently he whispered, "No, she's right! Hold on." He squirmed, and managed to pull out a small rectangular card from his pocket, then tore it in two.

"Oh well, I can always get another Visa," Martin said softly. He reached over and with the jagged piece slashed Yumi's outstretched arm. A bright red welt began to bleed. He took the bloodied card and smeared it on the chains.

"Quickly, use magic!" Martin urged. Teddy had reappeared, and was approaching them, knife in hand.

_But I don't have a wand!_ There was no time to argue. Doing her best, Lily tried her best to invoke _Wandless Magic!_ Lily thought furiously, harder than she ever did in her life; beads of sweat ran down her head. _What did I do when I was nine and Albus was Jinxing me with garden gnomes? Oh yeah!_ Lily _invoked_ the memory.

There was a small _Pop! _Andromeda turned to face them, and suddenly the chains snapped—they were free! Harry rushed Teddy and freed the wands he had placed in his robe pocket, tossing them to Lily and her aunt. They were locked in a struggle, with Teddy letting out a blood-chilling _snarl_. Aunt Hermione immediately began launching Stunning spells at Andromeda, who took cover behind rocks, moving very quickly. Lily grabbed Martin and Yumi and pulled them to safety.

"It's over," Harry breathed as he began dueling with Teddy.

"This is all your fault, _Harry_," Teddy growled, circling around.

Panting, he said to Lily's great surprise: "I know. I'm sorry, I tried to save them."

"But you didn't."

"I'd have gladly given my life to do so," her father said, the pain manifest in his voice.

"Better late than never." A blast of blue lightning just missed frying her father. Enraged, Lily screamed: "Get away from him!"

Teddy easily parried her Stun spell. "Sorry, Lily, not your fight." Before he could respond another blast from her father's wand sent Teddy staggering back.

Andromeda was now dueling with Aunt Hermione. A wand had suddenly appeared in the old woman's hand. Suddenly Lily realized that Andromeda must have somehow made her wand invisible, to give the appearance of conjuring magic without one—another part of their Great Elf disguise.

"Please, let's end this," her aunt pleaded.

"Forgive me, dear Hermione, but there's only one way this is ending," Andromeda replied. Waving her wand over her head, the ceiling of the cave shuddered, and large boulders began falling. Her aunt barely managed to Apparate away before they crashed where she once was.

Teddy had Apparated to the top of a cliff, and began raining firebolts downwards. Her father put up a strong _Protego,_ dodging his way towards her behind a small outgrowth of rocks.

"Lily are you alright?"

"Fine," she panted. "So here we are."

He grinned. "Could be worse."

"Hate to see it," she said grinning back. They both ducked as a spell hit very close-by. "What are you going to do?"

"I won't kill them, if that's what you're asking."

Lily nodded but was terrified. "I hope you don't mean—"

"—I won't let them kill me either, you can only get away with that once."

Lily winced. "Right. I know—you give me cover, and I'll get Martin and Yumi out of here."

"Good idea! Find the exit, get out of here and alert the Ministry."

"Will do." Her father got up and began blasting upwards. Lily took a deep breath and ran. She had taken three steps before an invisible vise froze her in her tracks.

_Oh no!_ Unable to move an inch, Lily felt her body float upwards, twisting and soaring until she was in front of Andromeda. From behind, Lily heard her say: "Harry, the game is up."

From a distance, she heard him say: "Let her go, Andromeda!"

"I promise not to hurt her, but she stays until you lay down your wand."

"Alright." _No no!_ Far in the distance she could see him begin to pull out his wand—

—suddenly the _Immobilus_ curse was lifted and she tumbled to the ground. Grunting, she rolled to her side and out of the corner of her eye saw Andromeda dueling with Martin. _What?_

"See how you like this, old maid!" Martin shouted. Holding his right palm out towards her, fiery bolts flew outwards. Andromeda put up a Shield Charm, but was staggering under the assault—

"—Think again, Squib!" Teddy roared. Pointing the Elder Wand to the walls of the cave, there was a terrible rumble as stone tore from stone. Lily was amazed as four huge redstone elementals, vaguely human in appearance except being over thirty feet tall, lumbered their way towards them and after her father. Running as fast as she could, she made her way to Martin's side.

"Martin, how in Merlin's name—"

"—the Ortus, it granted my wish! See?" Martin pulled out the golden lantern that Andromeda had possessed, then dropped once the fighting began. It was empty. "The Ortus is inside me now!"

"By Medusa's shadow—"

"This is incredible! I've—I've never felt anything like it! Hold on—" Martin swung his fist in midair towards one of the elementals. There was a thunderous clap and a blinding flash, and the elemental broke up into little pieces. Then he began running away to the back of the cave, Lily in pursuit.

"The Ortus made you into a wizard!" Lily said excitedly. "Congratulations!"

Martin was beaming. "I know, right? This is the greatest thing ever, but there's no time to stand around and admire it; Magic gave me magic for a reason." His face was suddenly stern with determination.

Lily breathed: "We have to get you and Yumi out—"

"—No, we have to stop them! You take Yumi, I'll take care of Andromeda."

Martin's words confused her; her father told her to get Martin and Yumi out, which made sense, but now that Martin was a wizard (or more), wouldn't it be better to let him fight?

"Well?" Martin asked impatiently.

Before answering, Lily suddenly noticed something odd; there were three dark strokes on Martin's forehead, as if someone had rubbed ash on his head. "Martin, what's—"

"Get down!" Martin jumped in front of her as a bright green flash enveloped them both. "What was that?"

"I don't know, are you alright?"

"Fine, I guess some kind of spell." He got up and turned to face Andromeda and Teddy. He yelled: "You'll have to do better than that!"

"It appears Magic has given its blessing to you at this late hour, Martin Andrews," Andromeda said stiffly. "Unfortunate that you've joined the wizard world just as it's about to end."

"I won't let that happen," he said. Pointing both hands at them, thousands of metallic darts flew towards the two wizards. Teddy put up a Shield Charm which absorbed all the damage. Andromeda Disapparated away.

"Just you and me, Teddy," Martin said.

"I don't want to kill you, Squib," Teddy said, his voice more irritated than concerned.

"I'm a _wizard_, and my _name_ is Martin Andrews!" He twirled one arm above his head, and a glowing red whip whirled into existence. Hurling it at top speed at Teddy, the whip hurled towards him—

—and speared into the wall of the cave as Teddy Disapparated away. Martin grunted in frustration, then when he saw Teddy Apparate atop another hill, he crouched down and leaped into the air, flying towards them.

Aunt Hermione Apparated next to Lily, giving her a start. "Are you alright?"

"A little warning next time?" But Lily immediately gave her a hug.

"Let's go, I'm getting you and Yumi out of here."

Lily had forgotten about Yumi. "No, we have to stop Andromeda—"

"—leave it to your father, he's still quite the fighter."

"What about Martin—"

"—he has more magic than sense." _Andromeda!_

"Ooof!" A purple flash surrounded her aunt and she immediately fell to the ground.

"Aunt Hermione!" Lily cried. But before she could take a step towards her, she found herself face-to-face with Andromeda, standing less than ten feet away. "What did you do to her?" she screamed.

"Drop your wand, Lily." She did not, but she didn't raise it towards Andromeda either.

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you!" Lily said hotly.

Andromeda shook her head sadly. "Lily, you're very young, so I will ignore your ignorant words. Death is not a game."

"You're a murderer! How many will you kill for your revenge?" Lily was equally enraged and saddened by Andromeda's conduct. _No matter how badly she suffered, you can't inflict suffering in response!_

"Had you not interfered, no one would have died. Except the guilty."

"If you hate Magic so much, just use the Artisan's blood on yourself then!"

Andromeda's lips curled into a tight line. "You are disappointingly unlike your father. If you could only understand what he lost and suffered to give you the world you enjoy and take for granted—"

"—I choose to save wizardry, you chose to destroy it. What more needs to be said?"

Andromeda considered. "Perhaps nothing." She reached into her robe. "I'm very sorry Lily."

Lily became nervous—what was she going to do? _Maybe I can outdraw her, but if not—_

—a small figure jumped in front of her. Reflexively Andromeda launched a Stunning Spell at her, but instead of the incapacitating impact, there was nothing.

Lily looked down and marveled; it was Yumi, a nasty scowl on her face, but holding her arms outwards, covering Lily as best as she could. She was slowly backing off, pushing against Lily. She then understood; Yumi was screening her against Andromeda's spells. _What a brave girl!_

Lily and Yumi began backing off; Andromeda followed slowly in pursuit. With a sympathetic voice, Andromeda said: "I'm very sorry Yumi for all we put you through. Only a few minutes more of your time and blood—"

"—that's enough from you!" A blast of ice-cold air rushed towards Andromeda, who put up a curtain of fire just in time to dissipate it. Lily grabbed Yumi's arm and began running away as Martin and Andromeda began to duel in earnest.

"You're enjoying being a wizard a little too much," Andromeda said with a faintly chiding tone, something like her grandparents would use.

"Shame you don't seem to be enjoying it at all, otherwise why else would you be here?"

Andromeda _tsked tsked _again. "You are quite a powerful wizard now, Martin, but you lack experience. You need to worry more about your defense."

"Dunno what' you're talking about—ack!" Martin staggered as another green flash enveloped him. Teddy had fired a spell at him from behind.

Quickly regaining his balance, Martin hurled rocks at where Teddy was. He disappeared into the shadows.

"Come back and fight," Martin growled. But he had now conjured up something resembling a Shield with his left hand. As he passed by, Lily noticed that instead of three strokes on his forehead there was now just one. _Why one instead of three?_

Andromeda, who had Disappeared after Teddy appeared, suddenly Apparated to Martin's side. This time Martin was ready, pivoting to bring his Shield Arm up towards her just in time to deflect another curse. Sounding impressed, she said: "Better. But you have much room for improvement."

"Enough, Andromeda," Martin growled, "I've held back due to my respect for the elderly, but you're getting on my last nerves now."

"I agree, time for an end," her father said out of nowhere. Another rain of Stunning spells sent Andromeda Disapparating away as he came up to her side.

"I guess it's Wizard Andrews now," her father said with a grin, offering his hand.

Shaking it vigorously, Martin said: "I just hope it lasts—"

—Teddy Apparated behind them both. "Look out!" Lily screamed.

Her father Disapparated clear, but Martin—who apparently did not have a grasp of Apparation yet—tried to leap. He could not get out of the way of Teddy's curse; stalagmites and stalactites erupted out of the floor and ceiling of the cave, slashing Martin in the crossfire in a devastating rock bite.

"Martin!" Lily screamed. She fired an _Immobilus_ curse at Teddy, which missed. Grimacing, he withdrew as her father Apparated nearby. Lily began to go to Martin's aid, but the rocks suddenly shattered and he tumbled free.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked.

"Fine," Martin said. Incredibly, he was covered in dust, but no worse for the wear.

"What kind of countercurse did you use," Lily asked in wonder.

"Nothing, just felt them clamp down on me, got the wind knocked out, then I broke free." Lily hugged Martin, grateful that he was alive. Looking at him, she now noticed his forehead was completely bare. _There were three, then that green spell; then another green spell. Before that lethal rock curse, there was one, and now there's none. Three, then one, then none. Three what—wishes? Spells?_

"Lives!" Lily cried out in horror.

"What?"

"Lives, Martin you've survived three Killing Curses—that first green flash spell Andromeda hit you with was _Avada Kedavra,_ the Killing Curse. You got hit with another one by Teddy, then he also used a lethal rock-crushing curse on you. Your forehead had three marks when you first became a wizard, but after three killing hits you have none. That means you're mortal—the next killing curse that hits you will kill you!"

Martin smiled. "Are you sure? I mean, look, there's not even a mark on me."

Lily was aghast at his blasé attitude. "Martin, listen to me—"

A purple flash filled the air; somehow Martin blocked it. Lily felt a nauseous wave hit her, but did not lose consciousness.

"It's Andromeda! Get behind me!" She had Apparated less than twenty feet away, and was firing nearly a constant-stream of curses at Martin.

"I'm afraid this game must now end," Andromeda said with a sigh. "I really liked you as a Squib, Martin, you seemed to appreciate both worlds, but now you've become nothing but an arrogant wizard, and I've had my fill of those." More curses flew towards him, which he deflected with ease. "Give me the Ortus or you will die."

"How about I kill you and put an end to your mad schemes?" Martin fired a blazing lightning bolt at Andromeda, who barely avoided it. "Not so tough now without your grandson, eh?"

Andromeda said nothing in return. She cast a spell on herself, and suddenly she became a shimmering, blurry figure. She moved much faster than even the fastest wizard could move on foot, the result of a Pilot Wave Charm. Here and there she fired curses at Martin, but missed wildly.

Martin was laughing as he flew through the air towards Andromeda. "Be careful Martin!" Lily cried out.

"Don't worry, everything's under control—" Andromeda came to a sudden stop. Martin rushed towards her, but before hitting her, an inky black nothingness suddenly engulfed her. _A Void Charm._

"Whoah!" He came to a sudden stop just outside the ink cloud and began twirling around looking for Andromeda. "Come out and fight!" Landing on the ground, Martin suddenly ran into the cloud. For seconds there was nothing. Abruptly he emerged outside of the cloud. "Lily did you see where she went?"

Turning to his right in response to a noise somewhere, Andromeda suddenly stepped out of the cloud right to his left. "Look out!" Lily cried.

Martin immediately turned and brought his right hand to bear, but Andromeda had whipped out her wand hand first; her wand physically touched Martin's chest right above his heart. There was the tiniest of 'Pop!' sounds; Martin immediately went bug-eyed; he opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out, and he fell to the ground dead.

"No!"

Andromeda stood over Martin's still form, shaking her head sadly. "Once again, the folly of Magic claims another victim." She reached out; the Ortus emerged from Martin's chest and fell into her hand.

No outrage was great enough. Screaming: "You killed him! How could you do that?" Lily didn't even bother to defend herself. _Before I die, I'm going to make her feel shame for everything she's done!_

Andromeda retreated a bit. "If you hadn't involved him in this, he would still be alive, living a perfectly content life as a Muggle," Andromeda retorted uncertainly. "This is your fault, not mine."

With a flash her father Apparated behind Andromeda and seized her. "Sadly, you've become just like that you most despise."

As if realizing the game was up, Andromeda did not struggle—not that she could physically resist her father. "But what of justice?"

Her father replied: "Voldemort faced justice. Now, so must you."

There was a flash, and suddenly Lily felt a powerful arm wrap around her, preventing her from moving. "Not yet," Teddy said from behind.

"No!" her dad cried.

Squirming, Lily shouted: "Teddy, let me go, please, don't do this!"

"I'm sorry, Lily. Harry, please release Andromeda."

"Teddy, I know what Andromeda said must have been compelling, but you don't have to do this. Even now, you can make the right choice and everything will be well."

Teddy grunted. "If I choose to let her go, will that bring my father back? My mother?"

"Of course not. I was just like you, once. I also wished I could see my parents, who were taken from me before I knew them—"

"—you saw them!"

"I did, and so can you. Do you want to?"

"…but you said, it would hurt them…"

"…because you can't bridge the gap between life and death. All the pain Voldemort inflicted was in pursuit of that goal." He paused. "Haven't enough people suffered by your actions? It's time to put it all to an end. Please, let her go."

"Well spoken, Harry," Andromeda said harshly. "But the only thing that will be lost by our plans is the ability of wizards to inflict suffering on others in the future. Would you kill me and Teddy to stop that?"

"I don't have to. Teddy, just let Lily go."

"Of course, let Lily go, and once again Harry Potter will be triumphant! First you beat Voldemort, then the evil Nihilo and Nihila! What glory you will achieve, Harry! How wizards and witches will worship you for being their savior thrice over!" Lily felt Teddy's grip tighten around her.

"It's not about glory, it's about doing what's right." He jerked his head towards them. "You're a grown wizard now, Ted, you have to put childish thoughts behind, especially when they lead to terrible consequences."

His arm shivered. Teddy said: "What have you lost, Harry, since you beat Voldemort? Life has been a potload of gold at the end of the rainbow for you, right _Mister_ Potter?"

"I've been blessed, I won't deny it. I count among those blessings the opportunity to be involved in your life, to help raise you, and teach you."

"So you lose nothing if we yield."

Her father shook his head. "You and Andromeda are in the wrong, the right choice is to put an end to this."

"No, Harry, you have everything and we have nothing. That's not fair." Ted lifted Lily up into the air; her father started and took a step towards them. "Prove to me you are still the wizard who would sacrifice all to do what is right, instead of what's easy. Either kill your daughter to stop us—or surrender to save her."

"Well-spoken, Teddy," Andromeda replied in satisfaction.

Her father bit his lip and said nothing. _Dear Merlin, he's going to do it!_ Lily cried out: "Forget about me, Dad! Stop them!"

Her father gave her a crooked smile. "Lily, when you have kids someday, you'll understand." He let Andromeda go and dropped his wand. _No!_

Ted let her go. Instantly Lily wheeled around and tried to pummel him. "How could you, Teddy! How could you!"

Teddy easily brushed her aside. "Learn from your father, Lily," he said distantly.

"Yes, Lily, you should follow your father's brave example," Andromeda said.

Her father held his arms up in the air. "All I ask is that you walk away. No charges will be filed, we will forget the whole thing."

Andromeda's response was mocking. "But Harry, we need to be brought to justice! Nihila and Nihilo must pay for their crimes."

"I guess Magic can be the judge of that."

Andromeda threw her arm at her father; he flew across the cave, landing with a grunt. Lily started towards him but Teddy held her back with a Restraining Charm. "Wizardry must be punished," she said adamantly.

Painfully getting up to his feet, her father said, panting: "Very well. If it's revenge—sorry, _justice_—you want, then go ahead and kill me; I deserve it." _No!_ "Because I failed you, Andromeda, Teddy. I should have done things differently, not gotten distracted. I could have stopped Voldemort sooner, if I hadn't gone for the Hallows. I was selfish, and wrong, and countless people died as a result, including your husband and daughter." Andromeda and Teddy reeled in response to his words. "If killing me will put an end to your plans, by all means, take my life. I promise, there's no magic card up my sleeve this time. I die, I'll stay dead." Incredibly, he smiled.

"Dad, no, stop it!" Lily was frantic, but she couldn't get any closer to him.

There was a long silence. When Andromeda finally spoke, her voice was heavy. "Such a good boy."

The Elder Wand wavered in Teddy's hand. "I… I don't want to kill Harry Potter," he said, anguished.

Andromeda's wand appeared in her hand; she pocketed it. "And we won't." Before anyone could react, with her left hand she flung it at him; instantly he was surrounded by an evanescent red cloud. He coughed once and fell to his knees.


	17. Chapter 17 A Black Death

**Chapter 17 – A Black Death  
**

* * *

The significance of what Andromeda had done to her father took a moment to register; when it did so, Lily's shrieks reverberated throughout every crevice of the vast cave. "I'm sorry, Harry," Andromeda said finally, "but your fate cannot be any different than the rest."

"I understand," he replied, coughing and apparently dazed.

"Go get Yumi, let us end this," said Andromeda, taking the Ortus and placing it within the hourglass. Ted nodded and disappeared.

Lily ran over and leaped at her father, fiercely embracing him. "Dad, dad! Oh no, no!" she said over and over, her voice choked with tears.

"It's okay, Lily," he said, hugging her. "It'll be alright."

"Why?" Lily said plaintively, turning to Andromeda. "Why?" She took a step towards her, struggling against her father who tried to hold her back.

Andromeda retreated, an uncertain (or perhaps fearful) look in her eye. "Because Magic must end."

Lily wanted to rage against her, but words seemed useless. Instead she turned back to her father and said urgently: "There must be a way to reverse this, Dad, we'll find it, I'm sure we can—"

"—Shh, Lily, you're babbling, it's okay." As Teddy returned dragging Yumi in tow, he took her hand and quickly put something in it.

Lily's eyes widened. But before she could say anything he motioned her to be silent, mouthing something voicelessly to her. Lily shook her head in confusion; again and again he said it. With a wave of her wand Andromeda pushed them apart, and with a jolt she was able to make out his words: _Tonks._

"I'm very sorry, Yumi," said Andromeda respectfully. Ted held Yumi's arm outstretched over the top of the hourglass, and she cried out as Andromeda slashed her wrist; dark purple blood flowed downwards as Yumi struggled helplessly in Ted's grip. Now bright red, the blood pooled in the top half of the hourglass until it was about a third full, then abruptly Teddy pulled her arm back and began bandaging her, being careful not to come into contact with Yumi's blood. Releasing her, she scampered over towards Lily and her dad, whimpering in pain and fear.

Within the hourglass, the blood began dripping down, drop by drop. The blood that hit the Ortus did not stick at all, but began to pool around it. "In a few minutes, the Ortus will be gone and Magic will end," Andromeda proclaimed.

"Go, do it," her father whispered. Still under the watchful eyes of Andromeda and Ted, Lily said: "I'm going to check up on aunt Hermione, make sure you didn't kill her," she said vehemently.

"Hermione will be fine," Andromeda said diffidently, turning back to the hourglass. Lily began to run over to her still form; Ted did not stop her.

Urgently Lily first checked up on aunt Hermione, who as best as she could tell wasn't dead, but otherwise was completely nonresponsive. _What kind of curse did Andromeda use?_ As she tried futilely to revive her, Andromeda and Ted were, absurdly, conversing with her dad.

"I told the truth," Ted said heatedly, "why do you doubt me?"

"Ted, I trust you implicitly, but you have to admit, learning about your alter-ego as Nihilo can't help but bring things into question," her father responded in what could only be described as a jovial tone.

"There was nothing in that hole," Ted reiterated.

"Oh, I believe that you found nothing, but admit it, you were actually searching for more than just treasure, weren't you?"

Ted did not respond; Andromeda did. "My grandson tells the truth. Having long-ago found all that we needed to complete our quest, I released him to pursue his other interest in fortune hunting."

"So we truly were your treasure then?" her dad asked skeptically.

Ted replied gruffly: "You were, and still are, my only family in this world."

"Yet after all you've done—"

"—family is family, be it wizard or not. Isn't that the truth, Harry Potter?"

"…It can be."

Andromeda said: "I admit, I wonder what it will be like to be without Magic. I suppose it would be like asking a fish what life is like without water."

"Thankfully you will not learn the answer."

"A moment, Harry." Lily felt a hot sizzle come over her. Slowly turning, a blazing light shone at her.

Lily raised her hands to show she had nothing in them. "Just tell me how to revive her, before it's too late."

Andromeda laughed. "She cannot be revived without weeks of Healer therapy. But don't worry, dear Lily, once Magic is gone, so will Magical afflictions; she will revive instantly."

"To your question: life without magic is like when you were a child," her father said. "Tell me, Ted, do you remember when you first used magic?"

"It was a long time ago…" Lily belatedly realized that her dad was trying to distract them. _Work fast! _Hurriedly she pulled it out of her front robe pocket: the Resurrection Stone, which her father had surreptitiously removed from Andromeda when he briefly had her in his grasp. _Tonks… Tonks… please, come to me, Tonks!_

Nothing happened. _Was there something else she had to do with the Stone to make it work?_ Bending over to look like she was checking into her aunt's ear, she urgently began shaking and rubbing the Stone, trying to get it to work. _Nothing so far._

Glancing out of the corner of her eye, the hourglass was half-empty; there was little time left. Trying to keep her panic at bay, Lily slid the Stone (which was set in a ring) on and off. When nothing happened, she then twirled it a couple times in her hand. _Still nothing!_ She twirled it again and mouthed wordlessly over and over: _Tonks, Tonks, Tonks!_

"Who are you?"

It took all of Lily's self-control not to scream and leap in terror—not two feet away from her stood the shimmering figure of Nymphadora Tonks, Andromeda's long-dead daughter and mother of Teddy Lupin. She closely resembled the portrait her father had painted of her: a tall, thin woman with a crown of shockingly pink spiked hair, she was barely older than Lily.

There was a dazed, confused look on her face, then suddenly Tonks became somber: "I remember… I was… dead… and then there was nothing… and then all of a sudden I appeared here. What's going on?"

Lily shifted so that her back was to Andromeda. Trying to keep her rising-hysteria at bay, Lily whispered: "My name is Lily Potter, I'm Harry Potter's daughter." Nymphadora's eyes widened in shock. "It's about thirty years after your death, and your mother Andromeda has gone insane."

"Mum? What in Merlin's name—"

"—my dad killed Voldemort, and your mother wants revenge against all wizards. She's using Dark Magic to destroy all Magic in the world. Somehow, she's Confunded Teddy—your son!—to help her!"

A look of horror came to Nymphadora's thin face. "Teddy—my baby boy?! Remus—"

"—he died as well, there's no time to explain, you have to appear before her and convince her to stop this!"

Nymphadora nodded and got up—but nothing happened. _Oh no, what if the person you summon through the Stone is only visible to the summoner? What do we do—_

—a great invisible hand swept her off her feet and pulled her through the air. Moments later she was hovering before Teddy. "What are you doing, Lily?"

Suddenly her dad lunged himself at him, knocking them to the ground. Andromeda stumbled and was momentarily unable to respond. While her dad and Teddy struggled, with her last bit of strength Lily lunged towards the hourglass. She grabbed it and screamed: "Bring Nymphadora back!"

The hourglass shattered, and the Ortus fell to the ground, still unblemished by Yumi's blood. Again she was lifted into the air. Andromeda picked up the Ortus and held Lily before her, staring at her. "'Nymphadora', why did you say her name?"

"No reason," Lily said shortly.

Frowning, Andromeda pointed her wand at Lily and said: "_Accio Resurrection Stone!"_ The Stone flew out of her back pocket. "You were trying to summon Nymphadora! How dare you!" She prepared to inflict a Curse on Lily.

"Mum!"

Lily fell to the ground as Andromeda wheeled about in response to the call. When Lily looked up, she involuntarily screamed—out of horror, fear or disbelief, she couldn't say. Nymphadora Tonks, alive in the flesh, had strode out from the Veil, looking as she did at the time of her death. Andromeda's face was frozen in total shock, as was Teddy's. Her father stared in mute astonishment.

"Nymphadora?" Andromeda's voice was a tortured whisper. Nymphadora ran towards her and grabbed in her arms. "My baby? Oh, my darling!" Tears streamed down her face.

"It's me," Tonks said quietly.

"My baby!" Andromeda rained kiss after kiss all over Tonks' face, and for a while Tonks reciprocated.

"Mum, is that really you?" Teddy whispered.

Nymphadora suddenly broke out of her mother's embrace to face Ted. "Teddy? Teddy Lupin?" She reached out uncertainly, stroking his cheek. Teddy nodded and gently took her hand in his, tears streaming down his face.

"My baby," Andromeda said over and over again, toddling over to embrace Nymphadora. "My baby lives."

"Mum, what's going on? Lily over there said you were going to destroy the magical world?"

A happy insane look came over Andromeda's face. "Yes, darling, soon it will be alright. Wizards everywhere will pay for their crime of allowing you and your father to die, and we'll be reunited once more."

Nymphadora pushed Andromeda back. "Mum you can't do that! Please, stop!"

"Don't be silly, Nymphadora, I'm doing what's best for you—"

"—Tonks, it's Tonks, and this is not what's best for me, for Teddy! This is wrong, stop it, stop it!"

"—don't speak to your mother that way," Andromeda chided, as if speaking to a toddler. "Everything will be fine, dear."

"No, you don't understand, I'm dead, and this—whatever this is—can't last!" Nymphadora cried. "Magic brought me back to stop you, you must to do it before it takes me away again!"

"Don't say stuff like that," Andromeda snapped. "Of course you're not dead, dear, what makes you say such awful things?" Her father leaped towards Andromeda, but bounced off of some invisible shield and tumbled to the ground. "Mummy is here, she'll take care of you," Andromeda said in a baby-talk tone of voice.

"No, I'm dead, Remus is dead, Dad is dead! You have to understand!"

"Don't be silly, dear—"

"—you must see!—"

—instantly the world dissolved. By all her senses Lily was alone, yet she could _sense_ the others were nearby. It was dark, and they seemed to be standing in a castle. Suddenly there were flashes, explosions; screams. _Hogwarts!_

* * *

…"_Have you seen Remus?" Tonks called after him._

"_He was dueling Dolohov," shouted Aberforth, "haven't seen him since!"_

"_Tonks," said Ginny, "Tonks, I'm sure he's okay—" But Tonks had run off into the dust after Aberforth. He was heading outside to do battle against the incoming giants. As they exited, all around her Death Eaters, Aurors, wizards and creatures battled one another, shouting and cursing as curses and jinxes of all kinds flew through the warm night air. Tonks did her best to do her part in the fight, but her mind was divided; her real priority was looking for her husband._ Remus, I'm coming for you!

_Coming out to the north battlements, a mass of giants were battering their way in, while Aberforth led a dwindling force of wizards tried to hold them off. Tonks fired a Killing Curse at one, but it missed. The walls crumbled as more giants poured in; the wizards began to retreat. One was not fast enough; he was cornered by the giants, who laughed as they tossed him into the air. One giant grabbed his head, while another grabbed his legs. The wizard screamed briefly as the giants casually tore him in two and flung the severed pieces to the ground. _

_As they retreated, Tonks grabbed Aberforth's arm. "Did you see Remus?"_

"_I think he went out to the courtyard," Aberforth yelled back, still retreating._

_Tonks made her decision; breaking off from the others, she made out alone towards the main entrance gate. Running through the smoke-filled corridors, Tonks was halfway there when she turned the corner—_

—_and a sudden deathly chill froze her in her tracks. Tonks knew what was coming, but her focus on finding Remus had distracted her, caught her off-guard. The pale werewolf leaped from her wand, but as it flung itself at the two dementors heading towards her, it flickered and disappeared. The dementors closed, and her strength was rapidly fading. Fiercely she struggled, but the cold end was reaching for her…_

"_Get clear!" A brilliant silvery swallow rushed and pecked at the dementors, causing them to flee. The young Auror reached down and helped Tonks to her feet. "Be careful, Nymph! They're all around us."_

"_Thanks, I—"_

—_the wall behind them exploded as another dementor rushed towards them. Knocking her aside, it grabbed the Auror before she had a chance to respond. Paralyzed by its enervating force, Tonks watched in mute horror as the dementor grasped the Auror's head, and opened its mouth. _

_Screaming, the Auror struggled as something bright and silvery was slowly pulled out from her own mouth—a shimmery nude duplicate of the Auror herself, it struggled and screamed soundlessly just as the Auror did. But more and more of her soul was sucked into the dementor's maw; the Auror's soul began to break up, becoming dimmer and dimmer, its thrashings becoming feebler and feebler, until the last of it disappeared down its gullet. At that moment the Auror abruptly stopped struggling and fell to the ground, a soulless husk, undead and breathing._

_The dementor wafted about lazily, satiated; as the chillness dissipated, Tonks got to her feet and with boundless rage launched a gigantic Patronus at the demon. The dementor flew away, but the Patornus could not hurt it permanently. Tears streaming down her face, she dropped to one knee to check on the Kissed Auror. One glance at her dead-not-dead face was enough to make Tonks turn and run away, with renewed purpose to find Remus…_

…_Running past the Great Hall, Tonks raced up the stairwell to the second floor. Ahead, she heard high-pitched screams not belonging to wizards and witches; they were students who had inadvisedly stayed behind to fight. At the far end, she saw countless long-legged forms thrashing about; acromantulas from the Forbidden Forest. One by one the spiders silenced their cries. Enraged, she and another wizard began burning the spiders away, the air thick with the acrid smoke of their charred bodies…_

…_but they were too late. They stood in mute horror at the four shriveled emaciated corpses the spiders left behind after feeding. Without saying a word, they headed back downstairs, Tonks resuming her implacable quest…_

…_The lower dungeons were completely empty and darker than night, but ahead Tonks heard an indistinct noise. She ran. The sounds grew louder and clearer; dueling wizards. There was a final scream, and silence. Tonks ran as fast as she could. Flinging a door open, she saw sprawled on the floor of the potions classroom her very worst nightmare: Remus lying still._

"_Remus!" Tonks screamed. She bent over and casted Renervate again and again, doing everything she could to revive him, but as she grabbed him in her arms, she felt nothing. "Oh Remus," Tonks cried as she wept openly, nuzzling against his unnaturally-cool cheek._

_Without warning her body was gripped in frozen stasis. Tonks felt herself lifted into the air and turned about, limbs splaying outwards; with inchoate rage she considered the sneering figures of Bellatrix and Dolohov, who couldn't be more pleased with themselves._

"_What do we have here?" Bellatrix gloated. "The Magic-Forsaken spawn of a Muggle, a whoremother of a werewolf!"_

"_Only good werewolf is a dead one," Dolohov chortled. Tonks could only grieve and rage within. Pointing his wand at her, he said: "Let me do the honor."_

_Bellatrix waved him off. "There's no honor in disposing of halfbreed offal. Return to the Dark Lord and inform him of our progress." Dolohov nodded and scurried away._

"_Look at you," Bellatrix said disgustedly as Tonks hovered in front of her, spread-eagled and rigidly still. "As if my sister couldn't debase the Black name enough, you gave yourself to that werewolf and bore his cubs!" She spat on her, then spun her about, until Tonks was floating directly over Remus' body._ _"See? Your dear wolfman is dead, put out of his misery by the pureblood!" _

_She viciously kicked Remus in the head, then rotated her about until they were face to face again. Still sneering, Bellatrix subjected her to the Cruciatus Curse, the pain so overwhelming Tonks almost could pretend that it was not herself that was enduring it. After countless moments of agony, Bellatrix stopped. Laughing, she then flicked her wand. All of her clothes flew off her body; she floated in shameful nakedness before her mad aunt. With another flick of her wand, she similarly stripped Remus bare._

"_A disgusting mudblooded trollop like yourself, and her dirtblooded cannibal cur of a spouse." Bellatrix laughed again. "I'm going to leave your lifeless corpses lying here in disgrace and dishonor for all to see." She stepped closer, until Bellatrix's hateful face filled her vision. "And finally, bloodtraitor, know this: after you're dead, and the Dark Lord prevails over Potter, my first task will be to hunt down your loathsome spawn and kill him with my bare hands. Magic forsake you!" With a final laugh, the world disappeared in a green flash…_

* * *

…_but the moment did not end. Instead, through it all Lily saw, or more accurately perceived, other thoughts and images. For a moment, Lily found herself walking through the Great Hall, bodies piled on all sides. She saw the entire Weasley family gathered around the still-form of someone who could only have been Uncle Fred. She saw Tonks and Lupin, Teddy's parents, lying dead before her, but mercifully made decent. _This is what Dad saw, _Lily realized. She could not read his thoughts, but she could feel the echoes of his emotional anguish wash over her, the emotional toll too great to bear. Yet after going to Dumbledore's office, and peering into a Pensieve, she felt his simple, honest embrace of death—to bring it all to an end. The haziness reformed, and she was now standing before her paternal grandparents, along with Remus Lupin and Sirius Black._

"_I didn't want you to die," she heard herself—her father—saying to them. "Any of you. I'm sorry—right after you had your son… Remus, I'm sorry—"_

"_I am sorry, too," said Lupin. "Sorry I will never know him… but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."_

* * *

…_Things faded, and Lily was somewhere else. She was suddenly in a nameless alleyway, as a gang of mean-looking wizards closed on her: she was two wizards and a goblin._

"_Any last words, goblin, Mudbloods?" one of them sneered._

_The goblin said nothing. "We're not the only ones they'll be burying tonight, you bastards," Ted Tonks said defiantly. _Oh no…

_Wands flashed and curses flew. One of the Snatchers fell dead, but the other wizard and the goblin were dead as well. Before he could cast again a Stunning Spell felled Ted Tonks. Within seconds the other Snatchers were on him, and they systematically beat him to death with conjured clubs and hammers._

* * *

…_Now Lily alone in a comfortable little house, frozen with shock, hearing over the wizard wireless that Ted Tonks had been murdered. Everything else faded, and sheer disbelief filled her. How could this happen? And what about 'Dora?_

…_Nothing could have prepared her for this. Opening the door, she saw Shacklebolt himself, clad in stark-black robes, along with other members of the Order of the Phoenix, standing in grim silence._

_In a broken voice he said: "Andromeda, I regret to be the bearer of terrible news. Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin are dead…"_

_The world shriveled and died; there was nothing but the shadow of herself. The flesh had been stripped from her bones; her heart eviscerated, her mind wiped clean of happiness and joy. She was nothing but a living ghost, already dead, but unable to die…_

* * *

…_she was rage, snarling fury, seeking death; a target to kill._

_His mind was currently not his own, a lamentable legacy of his vanished father. But as soon as the rage rose, it subsided again. Moments later, he was himself again, flustered but normal._

_She had told him it was time, that he had to do what must be done, but something within had rebelled. For months he had befriended the young girl, immersed himself into her life, and now the time had come to snatch her away. No, she would not die, but she would be harmed, damaged. It suddenly seemed wrong…_

…_but his grandmother had reminded him of haughty wizardkind, how they basked in their smugness, their sense of self-superiority. What in the end was the difference between them and the Dark One's followers? From an outsider's point of view, nothing._

…_Part of him wanted to not only strip the Magic from their bones, but to rip their throats out as well. And yet, another part of him wanted to run away, put it all behind them. Except for Azon—who deserved it—none had suffered yet from their plans. Unable to decide, it triggered stress, and the Beast Within. _

…_The greatest regret would be betraying his godfather Harry Potter, who after all had told him the truth so long ago. Even as he thrilled to the tale of his victory over the demon responsible for the deaths of his parents, he wondered why the Chosen One could not have saved them. Being grateful, he did not ask, but the question ate at him from within…_

…_but it was not just for himself that he would do it. More than anything else, justice for his grandmother motivated him from morning to night. Rather than bask in the false comfort of facile martyrdom, she had sacrificed everything to not only avenge their losses, but bring true justice to the whole world. Though he did not want it, she had even promised that he could be the father of a Redeemed Wizardry._

…_Such goals seemed far beyond his ken; he was a simple wizard—no, _man—_who only wanted to do what was right. And in all honesty, the emptiness in his life had not been truly filled by anyone, not even in the Potter and Weasley families. A flirtacious fling, enjoyable, but meaningless in the greater scheme of things. Proper perspective came to him. _Once Magic is gone, Magic can decide when—or if—it wants to come back.

…_So let us begin…_

* * *

The world returned to reality. Lily was bedazzled by what she experienced, the wonder balanced by the horror. _Bellatrix killing Tonks—her very niece—and not just killing them, but _defiling _their humanity in death. _The sheer obscenity of it all was beyond her comprehension…

…yet on the other side; her father! _How could I have ever doubted him? _When he was younger than she was now, he willingly sacrificed himself to take the Dark Lord with him. _Such bravery, such compassion!_ And he had done it yet again, willingly allowing Andromeda to rob him of his magical abilities to save her. _Me!_

_Wonders and horrors. Just like with Andromeda and Teddy._ Lily felt deep compassion for their loss, guiltily aware that Magic had invaded their most private moments and revealed their deepest and darkest thoughts and desires. _Even though what they're doing is wrong, I can't help but feel—not just sympathy—actual support!_ It was wrong… and yet, it felt _right?_

Lily looked around; her father looked grim, and slowly, morosely got to his feet. Teddy was agitated; he was shivering and his face was contorted with hidden fury. _He might turn into a wolf!_ Andromeda was literally a statue; she stood motionless, a dazed look in her eyes.

They all looked at Tonks, who by contrast was nonplussed. Slowly Andromeda turned to her and said: "Nymphadora?"

Tears streamed down Tonks' face. "I'm sorry, Mum, but you had to see the truth." She paused. "Magic had to show you all the truth."

"I… I don't understand," Andromeda said, her voice still dazed. "Bella wouldn't do that, not Bella," she said over and over. "Not to her niece, not to my lovely Nymphadora…"

"She did," Tonks said grimly.

Andromeda hesitantly took a step towards Tonks; Tonks backed away, her face filled with sorrow. Andromeda pleaded with Tonks: "Don't you see, Voldemort, Bellatrix, Malfoy, they paid for their crimes, but their ideas still live. As long as Magic endures, those ideas will power future witches and wizards to use magic to commit acts of evil. It must end, it must!"

"Instead of ending suffering, your actions will only create more of it," her father said sadly. "How many witches and wizards will have their lives ruined when they cannot cope without magic? How many will lash out in vengeance against you and the innocent?"

Andromeda seemed to ignore them. Turning back to her daughter, she said: "Stay with me, 'Dora, and I will reconsider. We can be a family again, we can live again."

Tears streamed down Tonks' face. In anguish, her head shook in the negative. "I'm sorry, Mum, I can't. Magic is calling me back."

Andromeda's mouth fell open in horror. "No, wait, don't go!"

Tonks broke free and headed towards Teddy. "Mum?" he whispered.

Tonks smiled and stroked his cheek. "You're so handsome, Teddy," she said sweetly. "I only wish your father could have lived to see you as you are." More tears fell. "And I wish I could have been there while you grew up. But some things weren't meant to be." She reached out and hugged him. "You and Mum, you have so much to live for. Make the right choice; act to reduce suffering, not to increase it."

"I… I don't know what to do," Teddy said beseechingly.

"I love you, Teddy, always remember that. Likewise, love others the way you've been loved, and everything will work out. That's all you need to know." She pulled away, then reached up to kiss him gently on the cheek.

As Tonks stepped away, Teddy violently shook his head. Eyes opening wide, he slowly turned to Andromeda and said: "Grandma, I… I think we shouldn't go through with this anymore." Andromeda ignored him, staring intently at her daughter.

Tonks smiled again and said: "And now I must leave. Good bye Teddy. Mum, I love you, I will always love you." A whispery silver thread emerged out of the Veil and wrapped itself around Tonks. She floated up off the ground, and the thread very slowly drew her in.

Seeing Tonks being pulled into Veil, Andromeda suddenly seemed to awake. "Wait, where are you going? Don't leave me." Her eyes moist, Tonks said nothing, but merely waved.

"Come back!" Tonks drew closer to the Veil. Andromeda began following after her.

Teddy said in alarm, "Grandma, what are you doing?"

Andromeda toddled after Tonks, able to keep up. "'Dora, you haven't seen Teddy's baby pictures yet." With a wave of her hand she conjured up the photo; a large fair-haired baby smiled and gurgled. "You see, he's your spitting image—and his father, too!"

Tonks replied: "Don't live in the past, Mum, you have so much to live for."

Lily came over to her father's side, who watched in silence as they approached the Veil. "Dad, she's still got the Ortus, if she goes into the Veil—"

"—I think it'll be okay," he said grimly.

"But if she takes the Ortus in—"

"—the Ortus isn't what we have to worry about."

"Grandma, stop, don't go in there!" Teddy pointed the Elder Wand at her; thick cables sprung out and wrapped themselves around Andromeda, but after a second they burst into flame and disintegrated.

"When Teddy was only six months old, he said his first words," Andromeda said, her voice strangely airy. "Do you know what they were, 'Dora? It was 'Tonks'! I made sure he never forgot his mum. I made that Vow to him the moment they told me you were dead." She paused, a strange look in her eye. "But you're not dead anymore, so that doesn't matter!"

"Andromeda, stop!" Teddy screamed. He fired the Elder Wand at the thread that connected Tonks to the Veil, but his bolts missed. He then sent a massive burst of energy at Andromeda; the curse rebounded, shattering the Wand. Snarling, he dropped the broken wand and leaped twenty feet through the air, wrapping his muscular arms around Andromeda's legs. Drawing power from some unknown source, Andromeda was able to keep moving despite being restrained by Teddy, who kicked his feet into the ground; his toe claws left deep grooves in the stony floor.

"It will all work out, Mum," Tonks said distantly; she was less than a meter away from the Veil. "No worries."

"Teddy, you have to let go!" Her father ran to him and wrapped his arms around Teddy's waist.

"Gerroff!" Teddy tried to shake him clear. Now Andromeda was dragging them both towards the Veil!

"Teddy, please, don't do it!" Lily cried. She ran up to them. "Teddy, if you go in there, you'll die!"

"Oof!" her father grunted. "Listen to her!"

Teddy ignored them. "Andromeda, stop!" He dug in further, but continued to be dragged towards the Veil.

Huffing, her father yelled: "Listen to Teddy, Andromeda! Let go, let go!"

"Mrs. Tonks, please!" Lily pleaded.

"Grandma!"

"I know you think we didn't accept Remus," Andromeda said gently, "but we were just concerned about what happened to the Order. Him being a werewolf had nothing to do with it. Your father and I love you, Nymphadora—Tonks—we always loved you, and we're so proud of all you accomplished!"

Tonks had reached the Veil; as she entered, her form slowly faded. "I'm sorry, Mum. Forgive me."

Unable to stop her, Teddy closed his eyes and screamed; he then let go, leaving him and her father in a tangled heap on the ground.

"It's not right, parents outliving their children," Andromeda said softly. "That's not the natural order of things; that's not what Magic wants."

Tonks had almost completely disappeared through the Veil. Andromeda was just outside. There was a happy look on her face. "So don't worry. If you can't be with me, I'll be with you, 'Dora. Mummy's coming! She'll always be there for you!"

Tonks was gone. Andromeda stepped into the Veil and disappeared as well. As she did so, the great Veil covering the entrance to the archway tore in two from top to bottom, the pieces fluttering to the ground. A moment later, the great archway itself exploded, fragments showering the entire area around the cave.

Lily had been thrown to the ground by her father, shielded by his body from the fragments. Once the danger passed, they slowly got up to their feet, staring in mute silence at the ruins of the Veil.

"It's over, Lily," her father said, exhausted. "It's over."

Lily buried her face in her father's chest, tears squirting through her tightly shut eyelids. _It's over._

* * *

…_thirty years of horror…  
…thirty years of pain…  
…thirty years of grief…  
…thirty years of despair…_

_Ripped to pieces by the suffering she had endured and inflicted, at long last Andromeda Tonks found the peace cruelly taken from her in life, as her soul became one with Magic._


	18. Chapter 18 Secrets for the Grave

**Chapter 18 – Secrets for the Grave**

* * *

**HARRY POTTER AND THE HORCRUXES OF GRINDELWALD  
**A _Wizarding Weekly_ Exclusive

…_Having been Disarmed by Harry Potter, and with Nihilo vanquished, Nihila nee Alia Quizzethbet, stood before the Veil, seething. "Voldemort failed, as have you," Potter said forcefully. "Whether we are descendants of wizards or Muggles, we are all part of Magic. The logic of pureblood supremacy has led to its inevitable conclusion: self-destruction."_

_Quizzethbet was so angry she was shaking. Finally she said: "Better that all Wizardry die, than linger on in your filthy half-bred bodies!"_

"_Blood is not the source of power; it isn't even the source of Magic," Potter retorted. "Working together as equals, wizards and Muggles alike, will always prevail over the selfish will to power of those who believe themselves superior to the rest."_

_Clutching the last bit of blood from the now-dead Squib of Fate, Quizzethbet hissed: "Then enjoy your victory-that-will-be-defeat… and witness your destruction!" Upon saying those words she threw herself into the Veil, which exploded a moment later, a reaction from the Squib of Fate's antimagic blood._

_Seconds of silence passed. Then, surveying the wreckage, his features grim, Harry Potter turned to me and said: "It's over."_

_And so it is, fellow witches and wizards: the brief but terrible reign of Nihilo and Nihila's terror, and the last-desperate gasp of pureblood superiority ideology championed by the twin reincarnated fragments of Grindelwald's shattered soul, has ended._

_Lily Luna Potter_

* * *

As he read the final words from the article, Thaddeus Albertsworth fell silent, breathing deeply. He took out a handkerchief, wiped his sweaty forehead, along with dabbing his eyes. Finally he lifted his head, turned to her and said: "Lily, thank you."

And with those words, the entire assembled staff of the _Wizarding Weekly_ there in the main auditorium slowly broke out into sustained applause. There was no whistling or catcalls like at a Quidditch match; rather an honest expression of relief that the nightmare was finally over.

Such honest feelings made Lily feel even worse.

Albertsworth raised his wand; immediately the crowd fell silent. Turning to her, he said: "Normally the first rule of journalism is that a reporter should never become part of the story." Lily blushed. Smiling, he continued: "Which only goes to show you that sometimes the rules must be broken. Your bravery and cool head, in the face of danger beyond imagination, will be rightly celebrated by the entire Wizarding world." As she opened her mouth to speak, Albertsworth raised a massive hand. "I know, I know what you're going to say, your father deserves all the credit. But as he said, it was only by working together, through your combined efforts, that Nihilo and Nihila were defeated. The two of you both deserve credit for living to tell this extraordinary tale."

_We both deserve credit alright,_ Lily thought automatically. _Or blame._

A fresh round of applause erupted from the staff; now they did begin to cheer and whistle. Albertsworth did not stop them for some time, then raised his hands. As everyone fell silent, he said in an amplified voice: "Let us hope that the ideology of unrestrained wizarding superiority has died with Nihilo and Nihila. I would be the first to admit that, in the past, I had little regard for Muggles. I see now the error of my ways, for it is but a short step from thinking wizards are superior to Muggles, to thinking pureblooded wizards are superior to all other wizards. Not only are we all wizards, regardless of blood status, but we are all human. Though we may be divided by our magical heritage, our human heritage will always unite us."

There were restrained murmurs of agreement from the crowd. Albertsworth then smiled and loudly stated: "Once again, thank you Lily and Harry Potter!" More thunderous applause, which could not end soon enough for Lily's taste.

Straining, Lily wore her smile like a mask as the presentation ended and wizards and witches, goblins and House Elves alike, began to mingle. Those who weren't directly seeking to speak to her were typically engaged in excited conversation about how they could go on with their lives now that the danger had past; almost no talk about revenge or vengeance or the need for more security. _I suppose that was the point. _Meanwhile, the accolades continued to pour in:

"Congratulations, Lily!"

"Well done, Lily!"

"Guess Harry Potter isn't the only Potter of note now!"

"How scared were you? And how did you manage to hold off the fear?" This came from a wide-eyed intern whose name escaped her.

"Extremely so." She paused, wondering just how true what she was going to say actually was: "What kept me going was the need to prevent all wizardry from losing their powers. When you're not as worried about what's going to happen to you, self-sacrifice doesn't seem so daunting."

The intern's eyes became even wider, but he said nothing. Others in earshot similar nodded with undisguised awe. The pretense was starting to overwhelm her; steadily Lily pushed for the exit. She had made it halfway before Albertsworth caught her.

"Lily! Before you go—"

"—Sir, I appreciate this, but I'd like to go home and rest."

"I understand." He then bit his lip. "I just have to know something."

"What?"

Leaning closer so that no one else could hear, he whispered: "I know you've reported things as accurately as possible, but I'm still concerned that there are still unhatched dragon eggs regarding this affair, which may unpleasantly spring to life in the future."

Having been wallowing in self-loathing since her dad had concocted their story, a threat to uncover the truth suddenly goaded her into action (to defend the falsehoods). "I don't understand, sir," she said evenly.

Sweating, his eyes darted back and forth. "Neither your father nor your aunt have shared their side of the story with the press.

Lily smiled coldly. "I think they will substantially corroborate my reporting."

"The corroboration is not what concerns me; I'm worried they will eventually talk to the _Daily Prophet_ or others, and they will reveal more details of what happened in order to create exclusives."

_He's only worried about money. I can live with that. _"I rather doubt that, sir."

Shaking slightly, he whispered in an even lower voice: "Would it be possible to prevail upon your family members to stick to your reporting of the facts? The more this story is a _Wizarding Weekly_ exclusive, the better off we'll be—the better off _you_ will be."

Lily could only laugh. "You won't have any worries on that front, Mr. Albertsworth. What we've said to everyone about this mess is the truth." _From a certain point of view…_

Nodding vigorously, Albertsworth smiled. "Yes, wonderful Lily. Please don't misunderstand, it's not that I want you to lose your investigative edge; after all, that's how you cracked this!" _Indeed it is._ "This is purely a business decision; your story about Nihilo and Nihila will become legend, and both you and I—the _Wizarding Weekly_—stand to benefit immensely from this if future wizards think of us when they think of this sad affair. You and all the other reporters can fill in minor factual details later, but right now we have the _narrative._ This will benefit the _Weekly_ far into the future, as well as yourself. Do you agree?"

Albertsworth's proposal seemed to strain against the boundaries of propriety. _But what does that matter, when Dad—and I—have long since destroyed them? _"We have a deal."

"Wonderful. Take care, and give your father my regards."

_I won't._ "I will."

* * *

"So how much longer will she be in care?" Lily asked.

"Another week or so," Rose replied. "When she came to, Mum actually laughed when I asked her how she was." The memory of it left Rose bewildered.

"What did she say?"

"That this had happened to her before, and wasn't a big deal." Now Rose looked disconcerted. "It was just so strange, normally Mum fussed over every little scratch me and Hugo got growing up, and to just shrug off a life-threatening curse like that…" Rose shook her head.

The reminder of the cost of what had happened in Japan weighed heavily on Lily. They began walking in silence.

"How you feeling, Ferret? You look down," Rose said with concern.

Lily tried to smile. "I guess after saving the wizarding world, regular life just doesn't measure up."

Rose laughed, unconvincingly. They were walking down the corridors of St. Mungo's Special Care ward, Lily wrapped head-to-toe in a surgical robe to conceal her identity. "You said you had good news, I sure could use it."

Rose exhaled. "I wouldn't call it good news, not yet, more like… hopeful possibilities." They diverted down another corridor, where there was a security guard standing. She said: "Don't worry, she's with me." The guard nodded and stepped aside. Rose took out her wand and made a complicated motion; the door then unlocked. "Quickly."

Inside there was a large crib, and a young infant boy, barely more than a year, babbled happily.

Lily suppressed a tear. _One of the many innocent victims of Nihilo and Nihila—_Andromeda and Teddy._ Is there any hope for them?_

As if in response to her thoughts, Rose took out her wand and tapped the baby on the head three times. After the third tap, there was a brief blue flash.

"Please tell me that was a good sign," Lily pleaded.

Rose shook her head slightly. "There is a 'spark' of Magic in him, but it's just a fraction of what a normal wizard or witch infant would show."

"But it's not nothing, not like a Muggle or Squib?"

Rose slowly smiled. "No, not nothing. But even Muggles and Squibs, sometimes, will spark also."

"So in your estimation, will they be with Magic again?"

Rose stared at Lily, puzzled by her unusual way of asking whether someone was a wizard or not. "It was more intense of a spark than any Muggle or Squib I remember. And right after he was brought in, he did not spark at all." Lily's eyes widened excitedly at this piece of good news. "So I think it's possible, maybe in ten to fifteen years, that he will reexhibit some degree of magical ability."

"So maybe there's hope for them in the future?" _Perhaps the punishments of the Ortus were not meant to be permanent. Did that make them lessons?_

"Perhaps." Now a shadow came over Rose's face. "But for those like Shacklebolt, they will probably die as Squibs. And…" Her voice trailed off; she turned away from Lily.

Lily sighed. "Yes, Healer Rose, I want you to answer my question."

Rose turned to face her, tears in her cheeks. "For Uncle Harry—I just don't know." Then Lily's eyes also welled up. The two witches embraced, comforting one another. As they pulled away, there was a loud shout from the corridor outside.

They came out, and ahead there was a considerable commotion. "Let's go," Lily said. Running down the corridor, they found themselves in a veritable race as numerous Healers and assistants were in hot pursuit of—someone. The throngs of witches and wizards collected outside a Healing room, but the door had magically sealed itself.

"What's going on?" Rose asked a Healer.

"Lucius Malfoy," came the clipped reply; Lily shivered. "He was found unconscious in his cell, and they brought him straight here."

The door began to open and both Lily and Rose were being pushed inexorably ahead by the masses behind them.

"What happened to Malfoy?" Rose shouted.

"Another victim," Lily yelled back. _Andromeda sounded like she wanted to kill him; I guess he was lucky to be alive, although what she did to him may have been a fate worse than death._

There was a shout from ahead: "He's dead, he's dead!" Immediately the crowd settled in place; many of those in front and behind departed. A few minutes later, Rose and Lily were able to go inside.

The body of Lucius Malfoy hovered in midair, covered by a silver sheet. His expression was peaceful, which had not been the case when Lily last saw him alive.

"How did he die?" Rose asked one of the attending Healers.

"There were no apparent signs of injury," she replied.

"_Avada Kedavara_ then?"

"Definitely not."

Rose came up by his side. "A real puzzle."

Lily looked at him, thinking. A thought came to her, wholly unsupported by evidence, but in her mind, incontrovertibly true. "He killed himself," she whispered in Rose's ear, causing her to gasp.

"Lily!"

Greatly daring, Lily touched Malfoy's face. For a moment Lily thought she felt something, but it vanished from conscious view as soon as she tried to perceive it in her mind. What was it?

_rest…_

_so tired…_

_sleep…_

"Check to see if he imbibed a Sleeping Potion," Lily called out. The other Healers looked at her with some surprise, but they began to examine him more carefully.

Taking Lily aside, Rose said bemusedly: "And just when did you become a Healer?"

"I have a gift of Magic," Lily said enigmatically.

The Healers began casting spells and charms. "I think she's right," one of them said. Pointing at his mouth, he said: "Traces of Goblin roots, elven wine; if you added powdered sugar, you could make something resembling a weak Napping-Go potion."

"But that couldn't harm a fly!" Rose turned to Lily, equal parts impressed and annoyed. "You'd have to drink literally five cauldrons of Napping-Go before you were at any risk of death."

"Unless you have been magically enfeebled," Lily said. Rose opened her mouth, then closed it.

Having found the apparent cause of death, things began to wind up in the healing room; the silver sheet now covered Malfoy from head to toe.

"Why would he kill himself?" Rose asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Because he was no longer a wizard. For someone like Lucius…" _Fate worse then death indeed._

Carefully looking around to see they were alone, Rose said: "Can I tell you something?" With Lily, she did not need to add 'in confidence'.

"Go ahead."

A flash of steel came over Rose's face. "I'm not exactly broken up by the news."

Her cold disdain did not surprise Lily—it was a characteristic of Rose that she got from her mum—but its target did. "I honestly didn't know."

Somewhat defensively, Rose continued: "Don't get me wrong, I'm against killing if at all possible. But Malfoy and the other Death Eaters, they were sentenced to life in prison. Justly so. Them dying in prison… doesn't really change things."

Lily sighed and removed the robes so she could see her cousin in the clear. "I agree. It's just that… I wish he didn't take his own life."

"Because that's the easy way out?"

"Yes, but there's another reason." Lily paused, marshaling her thoughts. "A pureblood wizard—even though there's really no such thing—killing himself after he loses his magical abilities, what does that say about his views?"

Rose responded immediately: "That being without Magic is worse than death. That he'd rather die than live life as a Squib."

"Exactly. In other words, his thinking hadn't changed at all."

"Leopards don't change their spots. Why did you think he might have?"

Lily wondered about that; Lucius had not been particularly repentant when she met him, more accepting defeat than acknowledging wrongdoing. _Then again, he only knew Nihila stripped him of Magic out of hatred for purebloods. How would he have responded had he known it was his sister-in-law who attacked him and his family? _"I just hoped he would have."

"We have to keep hoping," Rose said optimistically. "And I don't think anyone's a fan of this pureblood nonsense anymore, thanks to you."

Being reminded of their Lie ate at her, but Dad had been adamant. _Maybe someday._ Lily smiled and said: "You're welcome."

Rose laughed. Then her gaiety disappeared. "Well, our reward for solving one mysterious death is: saying farewell to another."

Lily was not looking forward to this. "Right. See you there."

"You too Ferret."

* * *

Fortunately (or unfortunately?) Lily had little experience with funerals; Xenophilus Lovegood's was the second she had ever attended, the first being for a Hogwarts professor in her sixth year. That one had been a somber affair, perhaps because Professor Fellentrope had been such a young man, younger than her dad. Xenophilus Lovegood, while his life was cruelly ended by murder, was not so young. It made Lily wonder: should final farewells for a person differ according to the time in life that they died? _Maybe—when someone dies young, we mourn their loss, true, but in particular we grieve for the loss of a future that will never be. The younger the person, the shorter the memories we have, and the more that would be loss. On the other side, for an elderly person, there is more of that person's life to be shared in the memories of those who are there for the passing. There may be unfinished things in life—don't we have them all?—but in a way, we know how the story ends… and there's always something good to know about an ending, isn't there?_

Then again, one could be monstrously cynical like their clown classmate Gaittus Gallan, who made the wisecrack remark at Fellentrope's funeral: _why do we celebrate at births, and mourn at funerals? Because we're not the persons involved!_ Lily chuckled at the memory of the aftermath: he got a quite a few jinxes for his cleverness.

Godmother Luna, who had made the arrangements, was clearly one who emphasized the celebratory potential of a funeral (not in Gallan's way of course). Pictures and postings of some of the most famous, or infamous, articles ever published in _The Quibbler_ were prominently displayed at the funeral home. Lily had expected an emphasis on the times when the _Quibbler_ bravely took the mantle of publicizing Voldemort's return, while the rest of the wizard press shamefully acceded to officialdom's vow of denial. But while they were there, equally displayed were all manners of articles ranging from implausible to outright insane.

The speakers list was long and varied, but Lily ignored them all. Instead of thinking about Xenophilus, all her attention was focused on her godmother, who participated in the services with an impressively calm demeanor, somber but not solitary, celebratory, but not brash. While she obsessed over every visual clue she gave, her mind could not help but return to the central mystery: the Ortus.

Just evoking the word in her mind filled her with a strange and disturbing sensation: Lily felt like she was no longer Lily Potter, but rather Magic itself, coming together from infinity to this one location, silently observing her creations as they fuddled about, trying to understand the gap between life and death, and silently marveling at how simple things seemed from the other side.

_There is Life before Death, and Life after Death. If that's the case, what is death actually?_ Lily absurdly had the vision of the entire world, magic and Muggle, sitting on an infinite plateau, with an invisible edge. Everything in the world was slowly rolling down the hill to that edge, and when someone fell over it, they were in a new plateau, where the relationships between things were different. _If this is the case, does it mean that in the life after death, there is perhaps another cliff—a second death, which leads to a change to a third kind of Life? And is our world the life after death for another world_?

Losing herself in metamagic too deep to be real anymore, Lily turned her attention back to the funeral itself. Most notable were the absences: her father, her aunt… Teddy. Everyone was now passing by her godmother, giving her condolences. Lily was the last one to do so.

"I'm so sorry, godmother," Lily said heavily. "I wish we could have stopped this from happening."

Luna gave her a wistful smile. "It's okay, Lily." She wiped her eyes. "It really is. Of course, I wish my sons would have been able to grow up and know their grandfather, but that's just the way Magic is: Magic gives, and Magic takes. Magic gave me my Mum and Dad, and gave them me." She paused. "And Magic takes us all back, eventually. At least Mum was taken back by Magic directly. For that reason, if nothing else, I'm grateful."

Lily looked at her with some curiosity. _Xenophilus had a powerful Curse put on him to erase the memory of the disastrous experiences the Lovegoods had when they tried to interact with the Ortus. Did that mean?..._

"What happened to your Mum, godmother?" Lily asked. "If I may ask."

"You may. She told me we were going to touch the Source of all Magic," Luna replied. "I asked her what did that mean, and she told me that magic is love, and she wanted to explore the deepest mysteries of love itself. We approached the fountain, hand in hand. She reached out, touched it. And then… she was gone."

_Almost exactly like Xenophilus described it. _"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Don't be, because I know why things happened the way they did." Luna smiled; there was no falsity or bravado in her expression, but sheer joy. "More than anything else, my Mum loved without precondition—loved me, my dad, everyone and everything around her. The Ortus recognized her as being filled with love, and because Magic itself is Love, she immediately became one with Magic."

Lily tried her best to hide her astonishment. "The Ortus?" Lily asked innocently.

"The Source—that's what Merlin called it." She shrugged. "I vaguely remember my dad being terribly angry about it, but after a short while he changed. I guess I was just more patient from the beginning, knowing that I'll see Mum again." She smiled. "When you find someone you love and have children of your own, Lily, you'll understand how much patience is a part of love."

"Thank you, godmother. I… I… don't know what else to say."

"Well, Lily, you're all grown-up now, having triumphed with your father again over evil, so you certainly don't need my advice anymore." Before Lily could protest, Luna continued: "So I'll just say this: like Teddy said, keep searching for that which is good, because even if you don't find what you're looking for, you'll find it—in a different way."

Without saying a word, Lily embraced her godmother and moved on. Everyone else had departed for the celebratory wake her godmother had planned, but as she picked up her cloak and prepare to leave, she noticed a stranger speaking briefly and giving condolences to Luna. It was very quick, and in a moment he was leaving as well. _Curious, I didn't see him at the funeral._

As he departed, something about his gait and the way he held himself… "Teddy!" Lily cried out involuntarily. The other man froze for only a second, then began walking quickly. Lily ran after him, out of the funeral hall, but as she exited he Disapparated.

Lily began to swear, but then noticed that a small token was on the ground where the man had disappeared: a coin, with the face of a wolf on it. Bracing herself, Lily stroked it—

—the world vanished.

* * *

Lily found herself in a quiet graveyard, location unknown. Dropping the Portkey, she immediately brandished her wand.

"No need for that here."

Despite herself, Lily put away her wand. The unknown man had changed form back into the familiar—yet now forever unknowable—form of Teddy Lupin: clad in a plain black robe, he was a big, strapping man with long golden hair, and a sere aspect to his face, that some would call intimidating, but which Lily always thought charming…

…but after Japan, all she could see was the ferocious possibility within his gaze.

"Why did you bring me here?" Lily demanded.

He hesitated. "I didn't want to miss Xenophilus' funeral, but I also knew I had no place there." _That's right._ "So I snuck in. When I saw you… let's just say I wanted someone to be with me to pay final respects."

Lily came over to where he was standing, strangely unable to mistrust him. Teddy crouched down next to a headstone, his face now miserable:

* * *

**_Andromeda Black Tonks  
_**_May she be reunited with all that life took away from her_

* * *

"I totally forgot," Lily whispered.

"It was easier this way," Teddy said. Lily then remembered: a one-paragraph blurb in the Obituary section of the _Daily Prophet,_ mentioning that Andromeda Tonks had passed away quietly in her sleep. She abruptly stood, giving Teddy a dirty look.

Teddy crumpled. Nodding, he said: "I'm sorry, this was a mistake. Go, forget about me."

Lily's lips quivered. "I can't." Teddy looked puzzled, and the words began pouring out: "I can't believe that two people I cared about so much could do what you did. And I can't believe after all this, after what Andromeda did to him, that my dad decided to sweep it all under the carpet—and that I agreed to do so!"

He held his hands up in surrender. "All you need to do is give me your word, and I will turn myself in."

"No!" Lily rushed over to him and began beating on his chest with her fists. "Just tell me why. Why?"

Teddy abruptly grabbed her hands, stopping her instantly. "It wasn't for any good reason," he said simply.

"You can say that again!"

Teddy released her; Lily said nothing, continuing to glare at him. "Until…what happened… I had no idea what happened to my mum and dad. All my life, I was… angry. I hid it well, but it was always there. Your dad—"

"—don't speak about my dad! You have no right—"

"—told me when he found out the truth, he wanted revenge, especially when he found out Voldemort was still alive. I… I wanted revenge too, but there was nothing for me. Because justice was already done." Lily understood: Bellatrix was dead (_killed by her grandmother!_) and Dolohov sentenced to life in prison; Voldemort and the Death Eaters also all dead or imprisoned.

"But for me, it never was enough. Your dad saw the signs right away; while growing up, out of earshot of anyone else from your family, he tried to tell me not to be obsessed with anger and revenge for what happened, but to move on, to live life to the fullest." He lowered his head, the shame manifest in his face. "That was part of why he made me almost another member of the big Potter-Weasely family, he wanted me to go in a different direction."

"But…"

"But… in a way, seeing your wonderful, loving family life… just made me aware that I would never have it for myself."

"But you could have! If you'd ever found someone special, you could have started a family of your own—"

"—you're right, but growing up, that emptiness never went away, was never completely filled. Your father, you, everyone, almost destroyed it with your kindness and love, but it still survived, a dark kernel, waiting to be reborn."

Lily sighed. "And Andromeda brought it to life."

He nodded. "I never knew how much she was… consumed by the same need for vengeance; growing up, she was as supportive as your father was. 'Always look to the future' and that." Teddy chuckled. "I actually resented her for it. So it was quite a shock to discover on my eleventh birthday… that we were kindred spirits."

"But you said she used the Imperius Curse on you! You weren't responsible!"

Teddy sadly shook his head. "She did, but it was very weak; her heart wasn't fully into it. I…" He paused, marshaling his thoughts. "Let's just say, part of me would have done it without any coercion on her part."

"How much a part?" Lily asked delicately.

Teddy frowned. "Enough."

The conflict within Lily was impossible to resolve: Teddy as Nihilo had committed numerous grave crimes, up to and including being an accomplice to multiple murders (_or maybe even actually killing someone himself!_). Had he and Andromeda been successful, all wizardry would have been destroyed; how many other witches and wizards would have done what Malfoy did? How many others would have become the victims of vengeful goblins and other magical creatures? _And most disturbingly, how many Muggles would have decided to wreak vengeance on a fallen wizard population?_

And yet… _she remembered growing up, admiring her cool 'Uncle' Teddy, who very often took her side against her mischievous brothers… _Lily shook her head._ All that time, even while he was Uncle Teddy, he was plotting the downfall of wizardry. _"I don't know…" she wailed.

"Don't know what?"

"What to think!" She exhaled angrily, trying to bring sense to the senseless. "What you and your grandmother tried to do was terrible, awful—worse in some ways than Voldemort!" Teddy flinched at the accusation. "But I can't forget what a good friend you were to me, to all of us. And worst of all…"

Lily didn't want to continue. After some time, Teddy said: "What?"

Lily closed her eyes. _Might as well say it. _"Part of me understands—and even sympathizes—with you."

"I don't believe you," Teddy said incredulously.

"No, it's true—at least the revenge part." She opened her eyes, which were now moist. "More than anything else, I want to be right, to be shown to be right. I won't let any argument go unanswered, any slight unchallenged. I want things to be my way, I'm selfish in that."

Teddy shook his head. "That's a long way from being a murderous destroyer—"

"—it's not that far at all. It's as close as—" Lily nodded her head, "—and—" Lily shook her head.

"I see what you mean," Teddy said. "Choice—yes or no. Mighty big things can result depending on a yes-no answer to a simple question."

"Exactly. It's so… easy to put myself in Andromeda's place." Lily shivered at the confession. "When you are the victim of so much calamity, and then you have the power to act on your desires for vengeance…" Lily stopped speaking, too scared to admit to Teddy that there was even a possibility that she may have done what Andromeda had, had they been holding the other's wand.

"It's all hypothetical for you. For me, I—I had the choice, and failed," Teddy said grimly.

Lily looked at him seriously. "Yes, you did. I don't excuse you or her. But… I understand why."

"And?" Teddy looked wry. It made Lily mad.

"And yes, I might have done what you both did," she said hotly. "I might even have drawn the same pleasure Andromeda seemed to express. But I haven't, don't you forgot that!"

Teddy looked somber again. "I won't."

They fell silent. "So now what?" Lily asked gently, all her rancor and vitriol now extinguished.

Teddy brought himself up straight. "I'm going to make amends. I'm going on a quest… to see if I can undo the damage I've done. It might take the rest of my life. It might cost me my life. But I'm going to do all that I can."

His statement both exhilarated and depressed Lily. "That's a wonderful sentiment, but… will we ever see you again?"

Teddy pursed his lips. "There are no guarantees." Then he smiled—the warm, inviting grin that always charmed her. "But let's just say, I'll be back. Somehow."

Without volition Lily went over and embraced Teddy—once Nihilo, now Teddy again. She looked up at him and told him what she was feeling: "I can never forget how handsome you are."

The moment continued on without words, slowly building on itself. Then, as possibility was about to cross over to likelihood, Teddy gently pushed her away. "I'll do the right thing from now on. I promise."

Nothing more needed to be said.

* * *

Lily had no reaction to her father's words. Neither did her mother apparently. Her brothers were not so quiescent.

"But it's too dangerous!" James objected.

"I'm going with you, Dad," Albus vowed.

"It is going to be dangerous, James," her father conceded. "But it's actually more dangerous if I stayed."

"No one's going to hurt you! You've saved the wizarding world twice now!" Albus said.

Her dad chuckled. "Sadly, there's always a critic." He looked at her mom, who smiled and came over, taking his hand in hers. "If I stay here, the wizarding world will find out eventually. No matter how grateful everyone is, I guarantee there's someone out there who will blame me for what happened, and come looking for revenge."

"It's always about revenge, isn't it?" Lily said wearily.

"You will all be safer this way." He paused. "And… I can do what I have to do without distractions."

"But Dad, I mean, you're not…" Albus caught himself, crumpling under the dirty looks from Lily and James. He cleared his throat. "Let's put it this way—you can do detentions at Hogwarts without magic, but what you're planning to do is… a little more ambitious."

"Help will always be available to me as long as I ask," her father said proudly.

"Except from your own family?" Lily said, a bit too sharply.

"If I don't ask for your help, you need not give it," her father said with a smile.

Her mother turned to face them. "Alright, you know as well I as do your father's mind cannot be easily changed. Let's all say our goodbyes and let him be."

Springing into action, Lily jumped towards him and held out her hand. "Good luck, Dad!" she said brightly.

"Thanks, I'll need it," he replied, shaking it vigorously.

James gave their dad a tight bearhug. "Be safe," he said, his voice muffled.

"I will, son," he replied, his eyes shining with moisture.

Albus then came up and said, "The Ortus doesn't stand a chance against you! You'll be back to magic in no time!"

"Magic works in mysterious ways; you may just be right."

"Ten Galleons?"

"Albus!"

"Okay, five Galleons."

"You're on. But, I'm afraid I don't have any cash on me now, so if I lose, you'll have to ask your mum for it." She gave Albus a most cross look; Albus gulped.

"Uh, right. Good luck, Dad."

Their mum came forward. "Okay you three, let me say my goodbyes. Off to bed."

"Hey, we're adults now!" Albus protested.

"Let's go," Lily said. The three of them departed the kitchen.

"'Good luck, Dad'?" James said to Lily as the kitchen doors closed behind them. "Really, that's all you have to say?"

Lily punched him. "Quiet, I left some Extendable Ears behind, let's find out what we can." The three of them then hunched over besides her receiver. Their voices came in quiet but clear.

"_Ginny, I promise, this is not a stupid reason."_

"_Not stupid, I agree. But pretty selfish if you ask me."_

"_I have to do what I can. Because—"_

"—_It's not your fault! I thought you would have learned that by now, you're not responsible for everything that happens!"_

"_No, but I'm responsible enough."_

"_Are you going to make me a widow, Harry James Potter?"_

"_Ginny don't say stupid things—"_

"—_It's not stupid, it's a real possibility."_

"_You know, it hasn't always been a safe and steady ride. I couldn't promise that to you, even after we got married."_

"_I know, but I was hoping those days of worry were behind us."_

"_You can't live life without worries. A life without worries is probably not a life worth living."_

"_Spoken like Dumbledore himself! I'll be sure to take comfort from those wise words after I find out you're dead."_

"_Ouch."_

"_I didn't mean to offend. Just wanted to remind you what you risk leaving behind. And losing."_

"_You and the kids mean everything to me, Ginny." _Albus made a silent retching gesture. _"But we came so close to losing everything, everyone did. Would you like to have become a Squib?"_

"_As long as I have you and the kids, I think I could manage."_

"_Ah, but you've always been a witch. I would have hated to see you, and all the others, suffer that unimaginable fate. It's not so bad for me, really."_

"_I don't believe you."_

"_Okay I was lying. The point is, there are dozens, maybe hundreds of witches and wizards, of all ages, who were stripped of their magical birthright by Nihila—Andromeda. What Magic took away, Magic can give back. There aren't too many crimes of this magnitude where you can reverse the harm done. I can, and if there's a chance, I have to take it."_

"_Only the Chosen One can do this, eh?"_

"_I wish Andromeda hadn't Chosen me, but what's done is done."_ Their mother began to weep audibly. _"Ginny, please don't cry. This isn't like hunting Horcruxes or facing down Voldemort. This is a Quest to a place within. It's not about fighting and winning against Dark Wizards anymore. I just need to learn the truth about Magic and our place in it. Once that happens, I'm sure the situation can be redeemed."_

"_So how often will you be able to return?"_

"_I can't say. The more we keep up the pretext that I'll be gone for good, the better. But I'll always be back. Occasionally."_

"_We should have told the kids this."_

"_Yeah, I'm sure they'll find out eventually, but it's safer we keep this to ourselves for now."_

"_Okay. I think I can live without Harry Potter for a while; I did before. But I'm not letting you go before I make sure you never forget what you're leaving behind."_

"_Why Ginny Potter… I'm not exactly sure what you mean."_

"_Then let me tell you what I'm going to do to you tonight, and what you're going to do to me. First I'm going to—"_

Lily abruptly shut off the Ears. "Alright, we've heard enough."

"Too much," Albus muttered.

"Try not to let them know what we know, okay?" James pleaded. "You'll only worry them more if you do."

"I promise," Lily and Albus said simultaneously, giving one another a mischievous look.

* * *

It was just a few minutes after midnight, and the neighborhood was completely dark. There was a crack of light as the door to the Potter's house opened, and a single figure stepped outside. The door closed behind him, but he had not taken two steps before—

"—A moment of your time, Harry Potter?" Lily called out.

The figure flinched, but recuperated immediately. In a wry tone of voice he said: "Sorry, no comment, Miss Potter."

"Dad!"

"Lily!"

Exasperated, Lily lit the tip of her wand. Her dad, dressed in plain Muggle clothing with a knapsack, was giving her a wry grin.

"I was hoping to keep things short and sweet," he said.

"I wanted to give that impression, too. But after everything that happened—"

"—you had to have another word." He sat down and patted the porch next to him.

Lily lowered her wand and sat besides him. "How you holding up, Lily?" he asked.

"Fine, except for the part of being a total liar," Lily said miserably.

"I understand, but you shouldn't trouble yourself—"

"—No, I should, because I agree with you: giving our version of who Nihilo and Nihila were, and their reasons for acting, is better than the truth. But it's also true that I will forever be a fraud." Lily covered her face, as if to hide her shame.

Her dad rubbed her back. "It's for the greater good." Lily looked at him askew. "Yes, Grindelwald's slogan. No one's perfect, not Dumbledore, and not you and me. But we have to put the cycle of revenge to an end. If we can finally discredit this whole nonsense of pureblood superiority, and if wizards begin to understand they are not better than Muggles or other creatures... our world will be infinitely better off. And for the price of two compromised consciences, I think it's worth it."

"Secrets from the grave have a habit of rising from the dead," Lily said warily. "What happens when one day, the truth emerges?"

"The only ones who know the truth are us, Hermione, Teddy and Yumi. I trust us, I trust Hermione, and yes, I trust Teddy."

"And I doubt Yumi will talk. Woe be to the wizard or witch who crosses her path!" _At least she's been reunited with her family, and doesn't hold a grudge against us. _"I only wish Martin could have received more recognition for his sacrifice."

"His help was invaluable, and he got a chance to die as a wizard," her dad said. "If he were here, I'm sure he'd say that was reward enough."

_Somehow I think that's cold comfort to his Muggle friends and family,_ Lily thought sourly.

"If it still troubles you, at least make sure from now on you're the best reporter you can be," her dad said cheerfully.

"Don't worry about me, I made my choice just as you did." It was odd talking to her dad like an adult, in such a brash manner. But somehow it seemed fitting as well. Her dad looked discomfited for some reason. _Oh, of course. _"But what about you, Dad? Do you still really feel ultimately responsible?"

He didn't answer for some time. Finally: "I do."

"So was it a mistake to tell Teddy the truth?"

"Maybe. Dumbledore hid the whole truth from me until the very end, and all that time I resented it. But in the end I stayed on the right path. When it was my turn to face that same scenario, I did the opposite—and got the opposite results."

Lily laughed nervously, an involuntary reaction to such a bald characterization of events. "But that's more on Teddy than you."

"True. It's not about me; it's for the victims. At least they're not dead. That means we can do something for them. And if there's something that can be done, I want to do everything I can."

"But how much can you do without, without—" Lily gestured helplessly at him.

"Magic never leaves us, not completely. The most important magic is here—" he touched his chest, "—and that's all I need."

"But being able to cast spells wouldn't hurt?"

"Definitely not." He said no more.

It suddenly came to her in a flash. "Teddy's going with you, isn't he?"

He nodded. "Ever the reporter you are, Lily. He'll be a great help."

"Do you trust him?"

"I do; you're wondering why." Lily nodded. "One thing you learn in life is that everyone has the potential to do good and evil. Their motivations can change as well. Sometimes, people will do good and evil at the same time, even in the same act, for the right and wrong reasons simultaneously. And rather than fight that, obsess over the paradoxes, the pragmatic thing to do is to work with that, and try to do the best from there."

"Is that really possible?"

"If it weren't, Albus would have a different middle name, to say the least."

Lily did something uncharacteristic: she acceded to the argument. Her father waited patiently, as if knowing she still had more to say. "This is all about the Ortus, isn't it?"

"I think this quest of mine will probably cross paths with the Ortus again, yes."

"That worries me, because I still don't understand what happened with it."

"Magic's like that."

"You know what I mean!" Lily said exasperatedly. She immediately fell silent, hoping she had not awoken anyone. After making sure they were still alone, she continued: "It—the Ortus—it helped you learn the truth, but it also helped Andromeda! If she didn't change her mind at the very end, wouldn't all magic have been destroyed?"

"A distinct possibility."

"So if it represents Magic, why would it agree to do such terrible things? Isn't the fact that it's not entirely good, a reason to distrust it?"

Her father considered her words. "Well first, assuming it is a dangerous object that can be used for evil, what should we do about it? Should we go to the Department of Mysteries right now and try to destroy it?"

Lily had no answer to his rhetorical question; the Ortus had once again reappeared in its room in the Department of Mysteries, shrouded by a veil of steam, impenetrable. "Alright, if I at least could understand why it did what it did, I could rest easier."

"Let me answer your question with a question: what do you think happened to Luna's mother?"

"I can tell you straight from the source." Lily told her father what her godmother told her.

He smiled. "Exactly. Dumbledore once told me that love was the most terrible and powerful force in the universe. As a fifteen year old kid, I ignored what he said, but I now understand why it's true."

"I still don't," Lily admitted.

"Its positive powers are easy enough to understand; just think about what we heard in the Veil. But the opposite side of love is hate, and there is no hate more powerful than hatred for that which harms what you love. Ironically, the more you love something or someone, the greater your hate can be when it's taken away from you. That's one of the great mysteries of love, which must be embodied in magic as well."

"So how does that explain the Ortus?"

"If the Ortus is Magic, and Magic is Love, then the Ortus has all the power of love, and all its danger—becoming turned to hate. The love Luna's mother expressed was so powerful, so pure, it was close enough to bridge the gap between Magic and the world, and therefore she immediately became one with Magic—or one with love. Andromeda's love for her lost husband and daughter was so pure, so intense, that when she had the Ortus in her possession, her hatred against those who harmed her lost loves would have become the Ortus' hatred."

"So it was our fault—if we had not brought the Ortus to her—"

"—actually, had we not reached the Ortus first, Andromeda and Teddy in their guises as Nihila and Nihilo would have been able to access the Ortus immediately, and instantly give effect to their impulses. Fortunately, we prevented that from happening, and by your efforts you saved us all."

_By summoning Nymphadora Tonks—'She Who Died'. Seeing her alive and in the flesh again turned Andromeda's hatred against wizardry into the desire to be with her daughter again. Since Magic does not allow the dead to return to the living world permanently, instead it brought Andromeda to Nymphadora. To be reunited… in death._ Lily wasn't sure if any of this reasoning was true or even plausible, but it made a certain amount of sense, and she supposed that would probably be enough.

"Do you think Andromeda's happy now?"

"I hope so."

"Does she deserve it, after all she did?"

"Well, she did die. What more could you ask of her?"

"I dunno… something like what happened to Voldemort?"

Her father shuddered. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone, even him. Trust me, I was there."

"Me neither. But still, I'm not sure it's right—"

"—Lily, there's many mysteries about magic and love, life and death, that we don't know, and perhaps it's better that way. Voldemort tried to conquer death, and look what happened to him."

"Well, aren't you trying to conquer Magic as well? By trying to restore magical ability to those stripped by Andromeda, don't you risk going too far?"

"Ends versus means, an old debate. Rest assured, I will never use methods anywhere near as abhorrent as Voldemort's. I'm just going to give it a good honest try."

"But where will you start?"

"I don't know—wait a minute, I'm feeling something." He got up suddenly, staring vacantly out into the distance.

Lily quickly rose as well. "Dad, what's the matter?"

Eyes staring fixedly ahead, he suddenly began to speak:

* * *

_There will come a time  
When the barriers will fall  
There will be no difference between purebloods and half-bloods  
No difference between Wizards and Muggles  
We will all walk with Magic  
And Magic will walk with us_

* * *

A moment later her dad seemed to snap out of the trance he was in. "I'm sorry, where was I?"

Lily stared, then began to laugh. "You just gave a prophecy, Dad. But if you've been turned into a Squib, how could you do so?"

"I just gave a prophecy?" her dad asked innocently. Lily rolled her eyes and just stared at him. "Well, I do have a gift for Divination, you'd be surprised how many times things I thought might happen actually did. Kinda mysterious that way."

Lily smiled and said nothing, for once enjoying her father's sense of humor, even if it was at her expense.

Finally his smile faded as he became serious: "The point being, prophecies are important to the extent we make them happen. The prophecy didn't kill Voldemort; his own Killing Curse did. Whatever improvement we can make for Andromeda's victims will not come from the Ortus, or Magic; it will come from us. Do you see the difference?"

Suddenly Lily was able to see through the contradiction that had ensnared her brain. "I do see it. I think."

Her father beamed brightly. "Exactly. Even if we're not sure, we try to do what's right, and let things go from there." The sky was starting to lighten; dawn was coming soon. "It's best that I go now."

"Okay Dad." Lily rushed into his arms and gave him a fierce embrace. Strangely, she wasn't sad at all; instead of seeming like a desperate gamble against all odds, Lily had the feeling that her dad's voyage was going to be something exhilarating and exciting, almost a positive good.

Finally they broke away from each other. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I promise it will be soon."

Lily nodded. "I'm sure, since I know you're not going to be gone the whole time."

Her dad frowned. "Were you spying on us?"

Lily smiled. "A good reporter never reveals her sources."

He chuckled, then his eyes suddenly bulged in horror. "Good heavens, did you hear what your mum—"

"—No, not a word," Lily said bitingly.

"Whew. In that case, let me give you one final token to show to you both the seriousness which I take this task, and to reassure you of the likelihood of ultimate success." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wand. Slowly he offered it to Lily.

Lily's eyes widened in shock. "Dad, what are you doing?"

"I want you to hold onto this for now; obviously I can't make good use of it at the moment. Please, take it."

Her hands trembled as she took his wand in hand. "I… I… I don't know what to say."

"Well, don't overthink it, it's just a wand like any other—"

"—But Dad! You kept this wand rather than the Elder Wand! This wand twice beat Voldemort—"

"—more, actually. I'm going to miss it, just as I'm going to miss seeing you, your brothers, and your mum. But the important thing is this: all of you, and your uncles, aunts, cousins, and relatives, are what I'm going to be fighting for now. Along with all who've lost magic, including myself. Because that's just who I am."

Lily nodded in understanding. "And my holding onto your wand, is just a little extra motivation to work hard so you can get it back again."

"Exactly."

"Well, I don't need to wish you good luck, because I know you will succeed, but good luck anyway."

"Thanks, I'll take all the luck I can get."

They embraced a final time. "Don't forget; I love you, Dad."

"Never. I love you too, Lily. Always. And now—time to be on my way!"

With a cheery wave, her dad began walking off into the distance, whistling a cheery tune. As Lily Potter watched, a complex stew of emotions stirred within: grief at all the horrors she had witnessed leading up to this moment; relief for the end of Nihila/Andromeda's schemes; sadness for the victims of their plots, many who would never be made whole again; and concern for her father, who once again was taking on the impossible fight for the benefit of everyone.

Going up the porch, just before entering Lily turned around. Her father was now a tiny speck on the horizon; soon he would be gone, off on his quest to restore magic to those it had been taken from. Lily felt a final emotion—conviction; a certitude that went beyond logic, intuition or prophecy:

_Harry Potter will return._


	19. Epilogue An Unexpected Guest

**Epilogue – An Unexpected Guest**

* * *

It was a warm night in Central Gillingham, the summer breeze providing scant relief to the inhabitants milling about, although it proved of great benefit to those who indulged an evening swim in the River Medway. At the west end of Coniston Close one of the homes was decked out in light, the tumult of boisterous voices pouring out indicating that a celebration of some considerable magnitude was underway.

Inside that home, more than sixty people crammed the parlour to celebrate its owner's seventy-fifth birthday. The main guest of honor was an aged, slender man whose physical reflexes had slowed considerably. One would have gotten the impression of him that in his youth, he was a much more formidable presence, both physically and psychologically; here, he sat somewhat meekly in the middle on his personal cart, inclined to passively receive accolades rather than investing in conversation with the onlookers, many of whom were here more for his accomplished son than him personally.

The cake, adorned with no less than 75 candles, was wheeled out as everyone began to applaud. As it was put in front of him he immediately reached out to grab some, but his wife, a tall thin shrew of a woman with steel grey hair, slapped him on the hand. "Not yet, dear!"

The man's son, a rugged, strapping man who had a pleasant demeanor yet also gave off the implication of having a complex hidden past, made his way to the center of the room called out: "All right, before we cut the cake, I would like to say a few words of appreciation. Dad—" He was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

"Must be the Bollingstocks, they're always fashionably late, although this pushes good taste!" The son pushed his way to the front entrance and opened the door.

"Good evening, welcome to the Dur—who are you?"

"Good to see you again Dudley! May I come in?"

The son stared at the visitor, a medium-height green-eyed man with a peppery mane of black hair strewn with gray, rounded spectacles—and a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. Dudley's mouth fell open; he backed away involuntarily, shuddering.

"I'll take that as a yes." Harry Potter made his way inside. He then turned around and called out: "You can come in, too, Teddy."

"Begging your pardon, Sir, I'll keep watch outside."

"As you wish. Come on, let's get back to the party!"

Harry pressed his way in. Dudley looked out to who Harry was talking to; a giant man, powerfully built, with a long mane of golden air, and a dangerous look to his face—almost wolfish, if he had to describe it. Without smiling the man called Teddy put on sunglasses and turned his back to Dudley and stood outside, apparently on guard. Feebly Dudley pushed the door closed and wordlessly followed Harry inside.

Petunia Dursley called out, "Dudley, was that the Hamiltons? If so, I would hope you'd let them know—"

"Hi Aunt Petunia!"

"'Aunt' Petunia? Who the devil are—what?!" She covered her mouth and backed away, pointing.

His eyesight and hearing being rather poor these days, Vernon Dursely squinted and called out: "Dudley, who is it? Who is at the door?"

"Evening, Uncle. It seems Happy Birthday is in order."

"That voice sounds familiar, but—"

"—Vernon! It's him, it's him!"

"Who?"

"_The boy!_"

"What boy?" Vernon Dursley came eye-to-eye with Harry; when recognition came, his mouth fell open in horror. Petunia and Dudley were by his side, still speechless.

"Well, let's not delay the festivities any longer on account of me!" Harry stood up and cleared his throat. Boldly he called out: "Everyone, let's all wish Vernon a Happy 75th Birthday!" Shouts of 'Happy Birthday!' echoed, but the Dursleys were still silent in shock. Before the moment became too awkward, Harry bent down and blew out all the candles, to thunderous applause. The Dursleys did not react.

As the varied guests began mingling and talking, Harry pulled over a chair and sat back, legs crossed and arms folded behind his back, smiling and totally relaxed. Finally Dudley managed to stammer: "Harry… Harry Potter…"

Harry smiled. "Yes, Dudley?" Dudley just stammered wordlessly, over and over. Harry leaned over and said: "Say again, please?"

"Wha—what are you doing… doing here?" Dudley was a big strapping man himself, but he was quivering like jello.

Harry sat up straight in his chair, all smiles. In his most jovial tone of voice, he began: "Well, it's a very, _very_ long story. I guess I should start from the beginning…"

**The End**


	20. Author's Notes and Commentary - Part One

**Author's Afterthoughts and Chapter Commentary  
(Spoilers for _Lily Potter_)  
**

* * *

The story of _Lily Potter and the Last Wizard_ is complete, but the discussion continues!

First, I must give the faithful readers of this story a sincere apology. I can't believe it's true, but the 'Manage Stories' feature does not lie: I started this story right after Christmas 2007, and only finished it 5½ years later. That's not right, lol! And while matters in real life have been pressing, I must confess that for long periods during this time, the drive to work on this fanfic and others has often faltered. Believe it or not, I've been writing fanfics for over ten years now, and in the past few years I've definitely felt it's required greater amounts of concentration and psychic energy to produce. Very often I found it easy to think, 'Ok, I didn't write anything today, but I'll do it tomorrow!' Then tomorrow becomes the weekend; then next week; then next month; and before you know it, you've gone over a year between updating! I don't know how many readers I've lost or disappointed for the delay, and even though they aren't reading this, I feel compelled to beg yours and their pardon. I make this promise: for any future fanfics I write, I will finish the stories in a timely fashion.

With that being said, I'm very eager to share my thoughts about how this story came to be and the construction of individual chapters—I have a teaching background of sorts, so I enjoy doing this, and hope it proves useful. First, let me say this is by far my most ambitious project ever, and I was inspired to write this tale out of my love for Harry Potter. I actually came to HP through the movies, first seeing _Sorcerer/Philosopher's Stone_. Having enjoyed the movie tremendously, I read the books and found them even better. I went to a Barnes and Noble in CA for the midnight release of _Order of the Phoenix, _and read it straight through until morning! After OotP came out, I had created a mini-outline of what I thought the next 2 books would cover. It's worth recounting, as some of the ideas would be used in _Lily Potter_.

My main idea was that whatever was hidden behind the door in the Department of Mysteries would play a central role. I imagined that in the 6th book, Dumbledore would be teaching Harry to harness that power. At the end, Voldemort would reinvade the Ministry of Magic to steal it; Harry and Dumbledore would fight him to stop it, and Dumbledore dies in the process. Harry would learn that it was the HeartStone, the source of all magic. For the 7th book, I imagined that Harry would be attacked at the Dursley's in the beginning, then undertake a perilous journey to get back to Hogwarts. There, Snape would be continuing the training, while outside Voldemort continued to take over the wizarding world. In the second half, Voldemort invades Hogwarts and using hidden magic learns how to steal souls from others, to use them as armor to make him immortal. Harry, Ron and Hermione escape, then sneak into Hogwarts to kill Voldemort. Leading up to the final confrontation, Ron dies; during the final confrontation, Hermione dies! Harry then duels Voldemort, and invades his mind, forcing him to feel all the pain he inflicted on others. This destroys his wizarding powers. Defeated, Voldemort offers to Harry his stolen soul magic as a way to bring Hermione and Ron back from the dead, which requires that one life be exchanged for another. Voldemort agrees to sacrifice himself to bring Hermione back, and Harry sacrifices himself to bring Ron back.

Obviously _Half Blood Prince _and _Deathly Hallows _were somewhat different! ;)

When DH came out, I was travelling; I bought a copy in the airport and read it on a flight to CA. I enjoyed it immensely, but like everyone else I was devastated when Harry saw Lupin and Tonks dead in the Great Hall. Coupled with what happened to Ted Tonks earlier, it always struck me what an unimaginable tragedy it was for Andromeda Tonks: her husband and daughter killed (and her evil sister as well). I thought the Epilogue was okay, but it was difficult to get a sense of how different Harry and the others were after 19 years (the movie does a much better job in that, because it could usual images and sounds in addition to words). With the passing of time, I began thinking of doing a Harry Potter fanfic, a story that takes place after _Deathly Hallows._ I immediately knew I didn't want Harry to be fighting Dark Wizards again—that plot seemed to have run its course in the books. Soon after, Andromeda's tragedy sparked a dark thought: **making Andromeda the villain, seeking vengeance against pureblood wizards. **But I didn't stop there: I remembered from HBP Dumbledore talking about how Merope appeared to lose the ability to do magic due to despair. I thought, rather than just limiting her vengeance to pureblood wizards, Andromeda might hate all wizards, because of what happened to her family. An image of a kindly old woman on the outside, consumed by self-hatred and vengeance on the inside, became the adversary. And her plan was not to kill wizards, but to strip them of their magical ability—possibly a fate worse than death to some.

But in true JK Rowling fashion, the villain couldn't be obvious from the beginning. And so I came up with the idea of Great Elves. We have House Elves in the HP world, but what about other Elves? I decided that Andromeda would be disguised as a 'Great Elf', which had not been seen in recorded history, until the final reveal at the end. Using a nonhuman form added to the mystery: was Nihila originally a House Elf who finally decided she wanted revenge against her masters?

Using Andromeda as a villain raised the question of Teddy Lupin. What little we get in the Epilogue suggests he's a happy, well-adjusted man. But I decided to take the risk of making him at least a partial villain. Again, the topic of revenge came to mind: wouldn't Teddy want revenge, just as Harry did when he learned what happened to his parents? But Teddy would not have the same opportunity for revenge: Voldemort is dead. What about other Dark Wizards? Also dead or in prison. I quickly decided that Andromeda would turn Teddy to the quest for vengeance.

Muggles tend to come up on the short end when facing Wizards; I decided that Andromeda's goal of destroying magic would be realized through something paradoxical: anti-magic magic, or 'Magic not Magic'. Although I didn't need to, I decided that it would be something that Voldemort invented or discovered, but was something even he found too horrible to use. Bellatrix would have found out the secret, and through finding the Resurrection Stone, Andromeda would have the weapon she needed to destroy wizardry. All wizards would become Squibs except for Teddy: he would be the Last Wizard, and the father of a new wizardry.

After DH came out, I read somewhere JK Rowling explaining what was in that locked room: a fountain of some sorts, related to love. From there, I developed the idea of the Ortus (Latin for 'Source'). It would be important, because in the story I imagined that Harry would get it, and use it in the final battle against Andromeda—not by killing her, but using it to convince her to turn away from magic, by using it to create an empathetic connection between him and her, where Andromeda would learn how devastated Harry was seeing Tonks and Lupin die, and how he turned away from vengeance.

But the battle would have casualties: I imagined Lucius would die at Andromeda's hands, along with Xenophilus. And Harry would be turned into a Squib! Despite this Harry would use the Ortus to bring Nymphadora back from the dead, coming out of the Veil. Nymphadora convinces Andromeda to stop, and she follows her through the Veil, destroying it. At the end, Harry goes on a quest to recover magic, leaving his wand with Lily.

**Lily Potter**

I briefly decided making the story a Harry-viewpoint story, but I quickly decided to change it to Lily, his daughter. I know many HP fans want more stories around Harry's parents and Marauder friends, as much as or more than stories after DH. I thought that for a post-DH fanfic, it would be better to use one of Harry's kids as the protagonist, and have that kid make observations about their famous father. One of the main aspects of this story is observing Harry Potter, how he is similar to and different from the person we grew to know and love. And practically, we know so much of Harry's point of view, it became obvious that it would be fresher to have a different perspective. Only Albus makes any impression in the Epilogue, but I decided in the interests of gender equality, it would be better to use Harry's only daughter as the main character.

Based on the ages in the Epilogue, I imagined that the story would take ten years after the Epilogue. Lily Potter would be eighteen, a recent graduate of Hogwarts. She would be a new reporter, and in covering a minor story, would come across Andromeda's schemes.

I wanted to add a Muggle scientist to the story, providing an outside perspective. It was obvious to make him a Squib, and I always intended that he would help Harry and Lily find the blood used to make the anti-magic weapon, through science and genetics. I also planned that he would gain wizard powers through the Ortus, but tragically die fighting Andromeda.

**Themes**

Although I don't think I emphasized it enough, one of the main themes of _Lily Potter_ is the danger of vengeance: it's such a seductive idea, being able to lash out against those who wronged you. What could be bad about that; wasn't Harry justified in seeking revenge against Voldemort? One of the ideas I wanted to develop was that if you think you're justified in seeking revenge, you have to be open to the possibility that others will seek revenge, and not be surprised when the consequences are not so positive for you.

Another theme, tied in somewhat with the Ortus, is the mysteries and paradoxes of love. One such example is how love and hatred can be intertwined. Another is taken from Star Trek: the needs of the many versus the one. From the perspective of love, could it be that one person could be equal or more valuable to everyone else?

Though there is a lot of action and violence, I think there is a strong underlying yearning for a renunciation of violence and force. The problem, of course, is if we value different things differently, some things may be more valued than others. Being finite beings, we always run the risk of loving some more than others—and out of such differences, evil and suffering can arise. Love is quite a mystery, and its power to make us do impossible things—for good and evil—is one reason why in HP love is described as the most powerful—and mysterious—force there is.

Okay, I think I've discussed enough about the ideas behind the story. Now I want to talk about how these ideas were put into practice in individual chapters. The process of writing is a constant process of creation and destruction, editing and revising. I think many of you will be very interested to know some of the things left out or altered. I also want to be sure to describe every little inside reference to the HP books, although I'm sure all of you recognized most of them immediately!

* * *

**Chapter Commentary: Chapter 1 – Perdition**

Originally the first chapter was to be from Nihila's point of view. It had what I think would have been a killer opening line:

_Nihila was searching for a monster._

It would have been a dark, chilling description of her loathing and rage, allusions of what she had lost at the hands of wizards, and how a vision of vengeance beyond all comprehension fed her will: the vision of the Last Wizard, whom all wizards would look to and never be able to forget that his existence would be a lifelong reminder of the penance they would all have to do for their crimes.

When she found the Resurrection Stone (which would not have been called that by name), a dark joy would have filled her black (hint hint!) soul. As much as I wanted to write it this way, it was actually very difficult to do so without spoiling who it was. So I switched to something almost as dark: a Voldemort POV!

I remember reading somewhere JKR saying that the flayed maimed infant form of Voldemort would be the state of his soul for all eternity. Damn, that woman can be cold! ;) I tried to recreate a sense of that in describing the endless cycle of torment he now endures. I did like hinting at something that was too vile even for Voldemort to consider using. As you learn in the end, Andromeda has learned many of the details after forcing Bellatrix to reveal them. Rereading, it should be clear that when Nihila says, 'I died a long time ago', it's actually very reflective of Andromeda's emotional state.

When Nihila/Andromeda gets what she wants, she deliberately transforms into the visage of a Great Elf (as she imagines), in order to tell him how much she hates him and delights in the fact of his terrible fate. Hopefully her line: "'Wizards shall pay for their crimes," the creature said. "We shall be avenged.'" covered the trail!

**Chapter 2 – First Day on the Job**

I love the title of this chapter, as it's so apropos—the next generation taking center stage. It's not immediately obvious, but Lily is different from Harry in that she has always been a witch, hence the matter-of-fact reaction to magic and use of magic. This aspect of Lily's character will come into greater view later, where one could argue she sometimes seems to display something alarmingly close to prejudice against Muggles and Squibs.

Another aspect displayed in the breakfast conversation is her hot temper, something which may be more related to Ginny, but is certainly not unprecedented from Harry either. Unfortunately there's very little development of James and Albus, but it's amusing to note that James, despite his namesake's mischievous temperament, is portrayed as a serious man, while Albus Severus, named after dignified/grave Headmasters, is more the rebellious one. Harry Potter makes his entrance very inconspicuously, although he will be a central character later.

Given Harry's less-than-stellar-experiences with the press, I always thought it would be a neat role-reversal for Lily to be a reporter. Harry's acceptance of her new position, despite his history, is an example of his maturity. As I have him say near the end, Harry Potter seems to relate to his kids the way Dumbledore related to him, and that's deliberate: although I could be wrong, I strongly suspect that Dumbledore would be a father-figure to Harry, and would mimic Dumbledore's wit, patience and tolerance for youth's volatility as he became a father himself.

The _Wizarding Weekly _ is somewhere between _The Daily Prophet_ and _The Quibbler:_ something like the NY tabloids today; sensationalist, but still trying to be a real news organization. Another characteristic of Lily I gave her comes out in her conversations with Albertsworth: disdain for favoritism based on her family name. She is unconsciously comfortable with it, however, hence her shock at the lowly first assignment she receives, even though logically it should not have been a surprise.

The Rita Skinner cameo was a little bit of fun, if unnecessary.

**Chapter 3 – Whispers at St. Mungo's**

Besides Lily, the other next-gen character who gets significant development in this story is Rose Weasley, who I immediately imagined would become a Healer, based on the hefty academic requirements and her mother's encouragement. I'm not exactly sure of their exact relative ages, but they're very close (kinda creepy how Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione's kids seem to be all similar ages, eh?) Of course, when we think 'Ferret' in Harry Potter we think of Draco Malfoy in GoF! But when thinking of a nickname that Rose would have for Lily, 'Ferret' immediately came to mind, as in 'ferreting' out information.

Light as their conversation starts, things quickly become very serious. I had imagined that Nihila/Andromeda's plan was to start small and attacking the newborn of purebloods, using Yumi's blood (which they were just now beginning to collect after Nihilo/Ted abducts her). Before that, they use the absolute minimum of the Artisan's blood from Slytherin's blade for secret tests, up to a year before they kidnap Yumi.

The end revelation is just the beginning of bad news quickly piling up.

**Chapter 4 – The Tragic Fate of Avid Parkinson**

I'm not sure where I heard this, but I think someone said Ginny was a professional Quidditch player after Hogwarts. Here, I show that her day job is a Qudditch announcer on the wizarding wireless network. For some reason (I think to make the time work out), it's Quidditch pre-season. Still, she's very enthusiastic!

I must admit, I don't know the exact significance of Lily's line: "I am no longer the little witch I used to be." Something in my gut made me write those words, I did not have a specific meaning in mind at the time I wrote this chapter. After rereading and thinking about it in the context of the whole story, I think a reasonable interpretation is that it refers to the fact that Lily's conversation with Harry is not just a daughter asking about her dad's day at work. She has particular professional reasons to learn more about Avid Parkinson's health condition. With Harry being a government official and Lily a member of the press, there's inherent tension in their professional roles. So I think Lily's unconscience is reminding her that things must be different from now on. And it's prescient, as coming events force Lily to grow up very fast—although not as fast as Harry had to.

As part of her rapidly-developing maturity, she no longer instinctively lashes out at the mention of the fact that the Potter name has weight. Doesn't mean she has to like it, of course! ;)

Rose's emergency notice to Lily is where the story 'kicks in'. Rose's depiction of events is very disquieting, and even now rereading when Lily goes into the Muggle house it's very tense. And in what I think is a characteristic way I end chapters, the mystery and danger is ratcheted up when Lily reveals her worst-case speculations of what happened.

**Chapter 5 – Professor Longbottom**

The sentence—'_A Muggle thing'?_ It had been a long time—if ever—that she ever thought of her dad as being raised by Muggles—is a more explicit indication of Lily's inherent 'witchyness', which is at least partially infused with an implied sense of wizard superiority over Muggles—an attitude which Nihila despises of course. Lily also almost calls Neville a pureblood—as JK herself said, the very terms of 'pureblood' and 'halfblood' imply that blood purity matters, which is an abhorrent stand. But Lily is not (yet) fully conscious of that attitude within.

**Chapter 6 – Teddy's Tales**

Here we get our first introduction of Teddy Remus Lupin. I imagined him as a big, strong, strapping man, something like Chris Hemsworth in _Thor_, taller but not quite as muscular. When I started _Lily Potter,_ it quickly became obvious I could not include everything I wanted, so I had to drop several subplots and shorten others. One subplot dropped was more involvement with Hermione and especially Ron. Another subplot was having Teddy and Andromeda more involved in the whole process. I know it's recurring device in the HP novels to have villains who aren't revealed until the end: Quirrell, Lockhart & Riddle, Pettigrew & Black (in an opposite fashion), Barty Crouch Jr. as Moody, Snape as the Half-Blood Prince, and arguably Dumbledore in _Deathly Hallows _(Snape of course is finally revealed as a good guy, of sorts). There are clues, but to be charitable it's very unlikely most readers could have guessed from the beginning. I'm sure many are surprised that Andromeda was Nihila, and if I had included more of the subplots involving her—which I will discuss in the commentary on later chapters—it might not have seemed such a surprise. But there are plenty of hints, as you will see.

Prior to this night, Teddy has been involved in laying the groundwork for their campaign of vengeance. Once that was complete, he was allowed by Andromeda to pursue a sidequest. As discussed in the penultimate chapter, Teddy's story about the treasure hunt is true, and was intended to reillustrate the point made in DH, that true treasure lies within.

Teddy still loves the Potters and Weasleys. But be sure to read this line carefully:

_Teddy paused, then spoke thoughtfully: "I had dreams of finding wonders such as Merlin's Tomb, but now I know what's most valuable in my life. What matters most in our lives are the people around us, our family and friends. __**Before the future comes, and the changes it will bring, I wanted to see you all again, just as you are today.**__ Thank you._

Kinda chilling, don't you think? Some more hints of their true nature:

_[Andromeda]: "That's alright, I can manage on my own," she said with sudden energy in her voice. "Enjoy the company of your friends; __**you never know what you can learn from them."**_

_[Teddy]: "You're too kind." He took a sip from his goblet. __**"I hope the next time, I have better luck."**_

_"That's okay," he said softly. __**His eyes seemed to be looking off at something elsewhere.**__ "There are so many mysteries out there, and these days it seems like no one is interested in solving them. It's very frustrating."_

And at the end, just as Lily seems to be relaxing, the tension is ratcheted up another notch as she overhears the attack on the Malfoys!

**Chapter 7 – Prisoner #86**

I tried to model what adult Draco and Harry's speech would be like when it was all business. Harry is very much like Dumbledore—serious in intent but light in tone, unflappable. Now when Lily arrives (which he notices but will deal with it at his own time), the tables are turned on Harry—instead of the one trying to find out secrets from others, he's forced to defend authority from those who, rightfully, have a right to know. He feels the irony keenly, as he shows by quoting what Hagrid said about the trio in OotP.

As the timeline by Harry indicates, Andromeda and Teddy began their attacks almost a year ago, but at that time they did not yet go after Yumi, they were using the last remnants of the Artisan's blood from Slytherin's tomb. Three months before First Day on the Job, they track her down and start taking blood from her in large quantities, enough to begin their war against wizardry.

Draco Malfoy is a much more somber character when he meets Lily in person; it's also hard to believe he's a grandfather! Notice that unlike the rest of the Potters, Lily is on good relations with Scorpius, another sign of her comfort with being a wizard and a lack of interest in Muggle things.

I thought it would be likely that, given what they represent, the Ministry of Magic would be eager to get rid of Azkaban and Nurmengard [sounds like Nuremberg!] for all the dark symbolism they represent. Eremos is my idea of a magical prison, and I hope it's interesting. I like the idea of it being completely invisible, so even if the prisoners escape, they have no idea how to get out. Despite her pureblood sympathies, Lily is properly repulsed by Lucius' ideology. In a sense, Lily thinks being a wizard matters, but whether one is pureblood or half-blood does not matter. This is basically the ideology I am going to have Grindelwald have, if and when I ever complete my Dumbledore v. Grindelwald fanfic (sorry it may be a while).

We get a hint of Great Elves (even though in the end it's all a ruse), and though pureblood wizards tend to be very racist towards nonhuman magical creatures, I toyed with the idea that they would have a more positive (even worshipful?) attitude to superior magical creatures such as Great Elves.

In retrospect, I'm not sure my idea that Lucius could give Lily a little of his blood through the magical forcefield is consistent, but I had to do it in order to move the plot. Sorry for the plothole!

**Chapter 8 – Nihilo's Manifesto**

We don't know what it's like to be under the control of Veritaserum, so this is my idea. The trick to beat it is to tell some of the actual truth without telling the essentials.

Lily is properly repulsed by having Lucius' blood, but not because he's a pureblood, but because he's a murderous Dark Wizard (I actually don't know if he's credited with killing anyone, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did).

The Blood Pensieve is a Dark Magic version of the Pensieve. As noted, the Malfoys are descendants of the pureblooded servant of Slytherin, Damath. I need to check to make sure that Damath is not described later as being related to Slytherin, otherwise that would contradict JKR's statement that Voldemort was Slytherin's last descendant.

Lucius was sent by Voldemort to Durmstraag to get the scroll by Damath about Slytherin and the Squib of Fate. Voldemort thought he would be the only one who could read it, but because Lucius is a blood descendant of Damath, he could read it too, and was very alarmed by the tale. But he knows nothing else of Voldemort's plan.

At last Nihilo and Nihila step into the open with their attack in front of the Ministry of Magic.

When Lily says 'Magic help us!' it's an expression of an idea I repeatedly use in this story, which is distinctively absent in the HP books: an attitude of, not quite worshipfulness, but of elevation of Magic to something more than just their abilities, but like the Force in Star Wars. I'm sure JKR has the ontology (logical foundations) of her magical world all thought out, and would be able to answer this question, but it's unlikely we will hear it from her, even in her hopefully-soon-to-come HP Encyclopedia. So I sort of develop the concept here. Even though it's not used, I also come up with the archaic term of 'Magicless' for Muggles, which you will hear time and time again.

**Chapter 9 – The Tale of Damath**

The fear of what Nihilo and Nihila do creates ugly reactions by wizards, ironically in completely opposite directions: some want to destroy purebloods, others want to destroy the 'enemies' of purebloods. In either case, it's an irrational action, a demonstration of how we cannot give in to fear, lest we do wrong as well.

Hermione makes her in-person appearance, a bit older than portrayed in the Epilogue scene of DH Part 2 (she hardly looks any different at all there, lol). And even though she's the head of Magical Law Enforcement, it's clear how much Harry and Ron have rubbed off on her, to be willing to let Lily partake in this adventure when legally and ethically, she probably shouldn't. Breaking the rules to do what is right is a theme in the HP novels, so it's only appropriate that the next generation do so as well!

Biblios = Wizard version of Google!

It's a bit of a plothole how that memory of Damath gets here. My explanation is that he left it there deliberately, as a way to warn future generations of wizards.

One of the great things about HP is that the world is so rich, even the slightest details could have an entire story built around them. The Marauders is one example; another is the Founders of Hogwarts. We get a hint of that in _Chambers of Secrets_ when we learn of how Slytherin left the school. We also hear the tale of Rowena Ravenclaw and the Bloody Baron. Each of these could be spun into entire novels, I'm sure. Here, I undertake to fill in the backstory of what happened to Slytherin after he left Hogwarts. As I said, I imagine he leaves Britain to form an exclusive magical community, and the members of that community share his ideology. I'm not sure if he really has any connection to Durmstraag, but I make one here.

Ron makes his only appearance here as well; like I said, originally he was to be involved more, especially after they come back from the Veil, but I had to cut that out. He's still a pretty funny, laid-back guy, but he is more competent than in the books. And yes, even after all this time they bicker like an old married couple, only now in this story they actually _are_ an older married couple! ;)

Apparently Voldemort returns the scroll to the library after he's done with it!

The tale of the Artisan and the Squib of Fate is akin to that of the Three Brothers, only this one is intended to be real history (in the HP world), and a very grim one. Slytherin's arrogance and ingrained sense of superiority ultimately backfires against him and his followers, something which happens often in the real world. His attitude sadly infects his daughter Nagani (not Nagini!), and she suffers a terrible fate because of it. Unlike the others, Damath finally comes to see the light: if you take up the way of the sword, eventually you will die by it. He decides that rather than seeking out revenge and further conflict, he decides to put an end to the bloodshed. Unfortunately, Voldemort does not heed his wisdom.

The figure who gave the Artisan his antimagic power was a Great Elf, but only in form; it was actually a manifestation of the Ortus itself. Magic took note of how those with magic were abusing their birthright, and slapped them down severely. It also left open the possibility to reteach the lesson again, through the Squib of Fate.

**Chapter 10 – Slytherin's Tomb**

Originally this was a longer, more harrowing chapter as Ron, Hermione and Lily had to fight all sorts of guardians and traps to get to the Tomb, but I had to shorten that as well. Ron and Hermione's conversation is loaded with references to the books, such as grawp (Grawp).

As Ron notes, Voldemort spruced up Slytherin's Tomb, and added his own inscription as well!

Actually, for one of the few times, Hermione is wrong: the enchantments protecting the Tomb were disabled by the blood of the Artisan, having been magically awakened by both Dumbledore and Voldemort when they visited the Tomb; Voldemort tried to reseal it, but could not.

How the blood of the Artisan (and of Yumi) works and does not work when exposed to magic is a bit complicated, and it's possible that it's not entirely consistent. I apologize for any plotholes that might result from it!

* * *

Okay, that covers the first half of _Lily Potter._ In the next chapter, I will share my thoughts about the second half as well. If you have any specific questions, please PM me and I will respond in the next chapter!


	21. Author's Notes and Commentary - Part Two

**Chapter Commentary, Part Two**

* * *

**Chapter 11 – The Squib of Fate**

Hermione has learned a thing or two from Harry Potter; she expertly manipulates Lily into not going after Nihilo, even projecting motherly concern as a way to distract Lily's normally 'keen and penetrating mind' (shoutout to the POA film!).

While Voldemort's defeat certainly discredited his ideology, I don't think it would have gone away entirely, because unlike with real racism and prejudice, there is a difference between Wizards and Muggles. As I mentioned earlier, Lily has a hint of it herself, even though she would vehemently deny it. Her development and realization of this is a major theme of the story.

Lily's speculations about Great Elves, of course, ultimately comes to nothing, but it is an interesting question, what other kinds of magical creatures exist in the HP world. Although Andromeda was always the victim, I was tempted to go more into the background of Great Elves, and even considered bringing one to life as an accomplice. But for reasons discussed below, I stuck with my original idea that the Ortus would be the force making events go into motion.

Nihilo and Nihila make their direct appearance here. One of the tricky things I had to work out is how they can use the antimagic blood without getting harmed themselves. Exploring this issue brings into the story my original character of Martin Andrews. From the beginning I was planning on involving a Muggle scientist that would actually be able to help Lily and Harry. Immediately it became obvious how to make the character even more interesting: make him a Squib as well. As hinted later, despite being a witch Hermione, like Dumbledore, still keeps tabs on the Muggle world; you never know when those blasted Muggles will be helpful! ;)

Lily's intense initial discomfort with Martin is again a way of showing Lily's flawed personality. But to her credit, she is very respectful and open-minded when she encounters him in person. And that's the point: we're all people, no matter our backgrounds. No reason we can't all be friends, or at least civil! Getting back to the blood, the way Nihilo/Nihila can use it safely is that, due to the way it works, it only becomes 'antimagical' in the presence of magic. So what they did was to coat their victims with it, then cast a spell on it, which 'brings it to life' so to speak, and destroys the magical properties of whoever and whatever it is in contact with.

Martin's wonder at magic is a sad reminder that he was kicked out of the magical world without a say in the matter. That purebloods would do this is not surprising, if regrettable. The sheer joy of having magic, which is not fully described in PS/SS, is something I wanted to convey when Martin miraculously becomes magical thanks to the Ortus.

Of course, Lily's suspicious mind immediately makes things grim again: having been warned about the Squib of Fate, she now suspects their new ally of being the one who will destroy wizardry! It's not easy overcoming one's prejudices, so we should be patient.

**Chapter 12 – Dumbledore Again**

Xenophilus' involvement is foreshadowed here; he is the link that will bring Lily and Harry to the Ortus. In reading OotP, I was always struck by Luna's story about her mother and what happened to her. When Dumbledore speaks about the terrible thing behind those locked doors, knowing how JKR operates I immediately suspected that Luna's mother (who doesn't have a name, which is why I keep calling her Luna's mum!) was killed by that same thing. Additionally, the implication in this story is that Xenophilus (and to a smaller extent Luna) are such odd characters in no small part due to that 'terrible experiment gone wrong.'

As I mentioned earlier, the antimagical blood reacts to magic; it was inadvertently activated by Dumbledore when he unsealed the tomb, which caused the perseveration charm around Slytherin's hands to disappear. Those tiny red flags on the top of Hogwarts were also coated with small fragments of Yumi's blood—in a sense, Nihilo and Nihila's own weapons turned against them! In other words, by wearing clothes dabbed in Yumi's blood, no magic can penetrate them; however, to protect from the blood taking away their magic, Nihilo and Nihila wore nonmagic-made clothing beneath the robes, to isolate their skin from the blood-soaked robes. It sounds a little convoluted, I agree, but I hope it's consistent enough!

As we see later with Teddy, Harry unlike Dumbledore is willing to trust others with vital information. Accordingly, he finally takes Lily fully into his confidence, and they are no longer just father-daughter, but partners. The 'Harry Potter' tour, mentioned earlier, refers to the idea that Harry would undoubtedly become a Hogwarts legend (even if he never returned), so there will be a whole folklore that will be passed down to future generations of Hogwarts students. Among them are trips recreating the places Harry travelled in and around Hogwarts as part of his quest to defeat Voldemort.

Harry leaving the Resurrection Stone in the Forbidden Forest was always a central point of this story. I still find it curious how blasé he was with the Deathly Hallows (as an aside, I don't think either he or Dumbledore ever had all three at the same time; if anyone knows differently, please correct me in a review or PM). His 'carelessness' with these objects, along with his decision to tell Teddy everything, sets things in disastrous motion. As Lily notes, the question is how Nihila learned of Voldemort's secret weapon, when even Harry with his connection to the Dark Lord's mind, never knew of it. The answer of course is that Nihila didn't contact Voldemort first, but Bellatrix, who through some nasty Dark Magic finds out the secret.

All the wandlore involving ownership of the Elder Wand is interesting if a bit convoluted. I must say I'm not entirely convinced that the Elder Wand would have changed allegiances with Draco just because Harry took Draco's wand, as opposed to the Elder Wand itself. So as I discuss later, I retcon it by saying that the Elder Wand, always desiring power, hates to be powerless; it always wants to serve a master. So if its master abdicates ownership of the Elder Wand, it becomes a free agent, willing to serve whoever reclaims it.

Another mystery from DH is Dumbledore's portrait, which seems much more conscious and capable than an ordinary portrait would be. Almost like a Horcrux! ;) Indeed, I hint at that in Chapter 14. Note carefully Dumbledore's first words to Harry, and compare to what Dumbledore says to Harry inside the Veil. Not a coincidence! Of course, by contrast Snape's portrait is like any other, so it has no memory of Snape's real attitudes and memories towards Harry.

Those chilling portents of doom from Xenophilus gnaw at Lily, and are the hook that causes her to go to him, which leads to the most mysterious, difficult and controversial part of this story: the Ortus.

**Chapter 13 – The Ortus**

'Foul loathsome evil cockroach!' – a shoutout to the POA movie!

As I mentioned in Part One, in speculating about what HP6 and 7 would be about, I speculated that what was behind those locked doors in OotP was what I called the Heartstone, being the source of all magic in the world. When I started to write this story, I knew that this source of magic would be involved in some way. But because JKR said that it was a fountain, I needed a new name. For many of the spells in this story, I used a Latin-English online dictionary. For source, I found the word 'Ortus', which sounded perfect! Knowing about what happened to the Lovegoods, I knew Xenophilus would have to be involved, as the gateway character that leads Lily and Harry to the Ortus, for better and worse. As Luna says, the backstory is straightfoward: Luna's mom (what's her name, lol), working in the Department of Mysteries, wants to do what no wizard since Merlin did—touch the Ortus, which is in the heart of the Ministry of Magic. As JKR revealed, it's hidden behind a fountain. Knowing that magic is love (more about that later), Luna's mom, accompanied by the two people she loves the most in the world, tries to approach the Ortus in a spirit of love. Unfortunately, she is too successful; by so exhibiting love, she immediately becomes one with the Ortus/Magic. Desperate to keep what happened secret, the Ministry puts the Prohibitorium curse on Xenophilus, which keeps him from speaking about it to anyone, but the impact of that day lives on, leaving him restless and wanting to know about the hidden nature of the wizarding world, hence his belief in the Hallows.

I toyed with having Luna under the Prohibitorium curse as well, but decided that because she was only nine at the time, the Ministry believed she would not remember. They underestimated Luna, as so many have before! ;) As an additional tie-in with _Deathly Hallows,_ the actual physical appearance of the Ortus is similar to the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, except in a three-dimensional form. As part of the backstory I speculated that the Peverell brothers also managed to explore the mysteries of the Ortus, so designated their symbol based on what they saw. Originally the Ortus was even going to have three tiny specks missing, which would have been the magical cores of the Elder Wand, Invisibility Cloak and the Resurrection Stone, but I changed my mind. So briefly, the Ortus is not a magical device like a wand or cloak; it represents Magic itself (more in next chapter). So in a sense it has a mind of its own. It doesn't take sides, so it will help Harry and Luna when they have it, and Andromeda when she does, because they are both part of Magic as well.

As Harry notes, instead of treating the Ortus like a powerful magical object—an _it_—he treats it as if it were another person. He acknowledges his relation to Magic, and therefore the Ortus as part of Magic as well becomes part of Harry, and safe to handle. In so doing, Harry wielded the full power of Magic, which can do almost (but not quite) anything.

In addition to the Ortus, I had planned that the Veil would be in this story, for the final climactic conclusion, and because Harry and Lily would travel through the Veil to the beyond, and meet Dumbledore there. Understandably Harry is a little reluctant given what happened to Sirius, but Lily, learning from her dad's example, is willing to trust what the Ortus reveals.

**Chapter 14 – Beyond the Veil**

This was such a wonderful phrase I knew it would be a title of the story even before I had fully planned the plotline! The same goes with 'First Day on the Job', 'The Squib of Fate', 'Magic's End', 'The Last Wizard', and 'Secrets for the Grave'. For the latter, you will see that phrase sprinkled in as foreshadowing in this chapter and others.

One of the major plotlines cut out due to time was greater involvement of Andromeda and especially Teddy. I cut it out for several reasons: length, a fear that I would spoil things, and because it led to difficulties for the story. Had I included more of Andromeda's views about her past, which she was going to share with Lily, Nihila's rant against Lucius would have sounded very familiar. Though I don't show it, she gets at least part of her revenge by turning all the Death Eaters and sympathizers (especially Umbridge!) into Squibs. But as discussed later, her hatred is much deeper and broader.

As discussed earlier, I found Dumbledore's portrait suspiciously capable, almost as if it had part of his soul in it. I explain it by saying that before Dumbledore died, he put shadow of his own mind into it, not enough to split his soul, but enough for his form to not be perfectly preserved. In the _King's Cross_ chapter of DH, Dumbledore is completely whole; here, his tampering with himself is manifested in the fact that, even after death, his hand is still burned. I highly doubt JKR planned things this way, but it was a way of working things out for myself.

Note how the real Dumbledore, beyond the Veil, says almost word-for-word what he says to Harry and Lily in Chapter 12!

Another part I cut out due to length was the reason Harry was mad at Dumbledore: it's because Harry thinks that Dumbledore **still** didn't tell him the whole truth! Go back to HBP, Dumbledore says to Harry: "Four years ago, I received what I considered to be _certain_ proof that Voldemort had split his soul." Note the adjective _certain—_I strongly believe Dumbledore strongly suspected Voldemort had made a Horcrux, from the moment he learned that Voldemort had disappeared. As we know from the final victory in DH, the rebounding curse does not destroy your body, but merely kills you like _Avada Kedavra_. But no body was found, which must have raised suspicions with Dumbledore. He tells Snape not long after that 'The Dark Lord will return,' but if Lily's charm would have caused the curse to rebound, he should have been confident that Voldemort was actually dead. And not only do I think Dumbledore knew from the very beginning that Voldemort had made (at least one) Horcrux, I think he also knew (or reasonably suspected) that Harry's connection to Voldemort was due to Harry being a Horcrux as well! Assuming I'm right, one wonders why Dumbledore didn't tell him this from the beginning; maybe just because he didn't think it relevant. But here, Harry has had almost thirty years to think about what happens, so this is what he suspects. And now that he has the chance to talk to Dumbledore 'again', he remembers his anger at Dumbledore for not telling the whole truth. This is what Harry refers to when he says he's angry at Dumbledore; it's not because the portrait didn't tell him about the Squib of Fate, but because Dumbledore still didn't tell everything—that tricky Albus! ;)

**The Ontology of Harry Potter**

I'm certain that JKR has a fully realized vision of the ultimate nature of reality and magic in the Harry Potter world; I'm also certain she will never tell us all the details, although she might hint at them in her encyclopedia, if and when she ever writes it. But in creating the Ortus for this story, I had to think about the ultimate nature of magic and reality as revealed in the Harry Potter universe, which is the philosophical subject known as 'ontology'.

You will notice how I constantly refer to magic as Magic, and how wizards in this story often seem to use Magic in an almost-religious manner (e.g., 'may Magic be with you'). This latter part is not in evidence in the Harry Potter novels, but after thinking about this subject, I began using it more and more in the story, even if it's not strictly canonical. So my idea about the ultimate nature of Magic in the Harry Potter universe is this: Magic is conceived in pantheistic terms. In other words, Magic **is** the universe, as is everyone and everything. I also use the notion that Magic is Love, and given what we understand love to be, it raises an immediate question: is self-love truly love? If not, if true love is the elevation of others rather than self, then there is a conundrum—how can Magic love, if everything is Magic? That's where I create my legend of the Fall, which should be familiar to many. Only if there was something—someone—apart from Magic, could Magic truly love. But that Other, being Not Magic, realized its inferiority to Magic and rebelled against it. This division between Magic and lesser parts of Magic—wizards, people and all other sentient beings in the HP universe—is the ultimate reason for death and its irreversibility. By being separate from the all-pervading nature of Magic (or _Magick_ as Merlin called it), people have the freedom to live their lives, choose their paths, and love others. Eventually, because all flesh (as a limited form of Magic) is mortal, the fragile individual souls who inhabit this world become part of Magic again. Magic enforces the barrier between life and death, but that barrier can be breached by Magic. In attempting to become immortal, Voldemort would ultimately have to pervert Magic, and become all of Magic himself, as the Carus (Latin for Beloved) tried to do.

Now, none of this is necessary to understand or enjoy _Lily Potter;_ it's just part of the background. The Ortus can work as a mysterious magical device, although why it would be willing to destroy all magic if it is magic itself may seem strange. I will try to explain my thinking more in discussing the last chapter. In a way, it's like the Elder Wand—it doesn't make a difference to the Ortus whether it's one wizard or all of wizards, in a nonlogical way both are equal in its view.

Dumbledore reveals he is the one who found Slytherin's Tomb, the first of many revelations that take place in this story. All these revelations are actually something of a weakness, they should have emerged organically from the unfolding of events, but because I shortened the story a lot, people like Dumbledore and Andromeda have to do a lot of monologuing to present required background information.

The prophecy of the Squib of Fate was a lot of fun to write; I haven't really written any poetry since middle school or high school, but the prophecy is meant to read like very ominous poetry. The second stanza is of particular interest, as I will discuss shortly. You may wonder: does it come true? Pretty much yes; the meaning of each line, each word of the prophecy, should be crystal clear by now. As an aside, was the prophecy of Harry and Voldemort fulfilled? The only line I find inconsistent with how the story turned out is the most crucial one: 'Neither can live while the other survives.' As we now know, both Harry and Voldemort were, in a sense, each other's Horcruxes. If the prophecy were 100% accurate, it might have said: "Neither can _die_ while the other survives", or "Neither can live while the other _perishes_." Tricky things, prophecies! ;)

Dumbledore's remarks about Nihilo and Nihila's character are another hint of foreshadowing of Andromeda and Teddy; he senses that whoever they are, their hatred is not some unthinking prejudice, but the result of concrete wrongs.

**Chapter 14 – Magic's End**

More than anything, this chapter is the reason why it took so long to finish the story. Perhaps for the first time as a fanfic author, I had writer's block.

I had most of the plot for this story well-conceived, but I wasn't exactly sure how to get from Harry and Lily stepping out of the Veil, to Harry, Lily, Hermione and Martin finding Yumi. This chapter was probably going to be several chapters long, and originally some of the subplots would have been: Ron, Harry and Hermione working together to fight Nihilo and Nihila; Harry finding Teddy and Andromeda after they were 'attacked' by Nihilo and Nihila, where Teddy would take Harry's wand away from him as he lay 'injured' on the ground, in order to get the allegiance of the Elder Wand; Lily and Martin trying to work with the Ortus, and Martin becoming magical in this chapter; a much more intense attack on the Ministry of Magic where Nihilo and Nihila try to steal the Ortus but fail; and perhaps most crucial, Nihilo and Nihila casting a spell which causes everyone to notice that their magical abilities were draining away.

In other words, Nihilo and Nihila had told the wizarding world that magic would soon be destroyed. I originally wanted them to do some powerful spell that would have made it obvious to everyone that they were losing their magical powers; it would have made the quest to find them that more urgent. But try as I might, I couldn't think of something that would make sense, especially since the original idea of how magic would be destroyed was that either the Ortus was put in Yumi's blood, or that it was taken into the Veil. Neither of these plans could be made consistent with the idea of a universal magic-draining spell, but I thought I needed to include it. Finally, after a few weeks of intense thinking, I simplified things considerably: as soon as Harry and Lily come back, the Ortus, aware that in the near future it will be in the hands of Andromeda and Teddy, decides to vanish. Once the Ortus has vanished, magic begins to fade from the world, which is referenced (rather weakly I admit) when Harry discovers his magical strength has decreased. Of course, if the Ortus disappeared, how could Andromeda's plan to destroy it with the blood or throw it in the Veil work? I decided to just continue using the idea that if the Ortus was gone, then magic would come to an end. So when everyone is captured, their only hope is to wish that the Ortus came back! This became a difficulty because originally Martin became magical in this chapter (before The Last Wizard), so the Ortus would have been with them. By bringing the Ortus to Nihilo and Nihila, who could not remove it themselves from the Ministry of Magic, Harry and Lily would have done Andromeda's work for her.

There were lots of related inconsistencies and plotholes that I won't go into further detail here. So I decided I would just leave things a little vague and explain everything in the final chapters. I hope it worked out!

I always imagined Xenophilus dying at the hands of Nihila/Andromeda, without fear, willing to become one with Magic. It was hard to do because it seemed out of character, as Andromeda really didn't want any wizard to die (she wanted them all alive, and suffering!) But because the Ortus was so important to them (for differing reasons as I imagined the story), it was justifiable to do. It's clear Nihilo is not as militant as Nihila; I made it deliberately so in order that Teddy could be somewhat redeemable in the final chapter; had he killed someone, Harry and Lily could not have covered things up, no matter how much they might have wanted to.

The Squib of Fate being Japanese is a shoutout to all the Japanese Harry Potter fans! I remember being impressed by a story in the news about how big Harry Potter is in Japan, and I always wanted the final battle to take place in Japan as well. I think the idea is that the Ministry of Magic is the wizard government for the entire world, but it's not entirely clear, as the immediate world of HP is Eurocentric (in a good way). Originally Martin would have found out who the Squib of Fate was through magical abilities (as he was to become united with the Ortus in this chapter originally), but I then changed my mind and decided better to use his actual scientific abilities in a realistic way!

We know in Deathly Hallows that it takes place in the year 1998, so 29 years after it is 2027, which is when _Lily Potter_ takes place. I imagine in 14 years DNA databases will be more extensive, making what Martin did more plausible. Let's keep hoping we don't end up in a _Gattaca_ world!

Unfortunately in order to finish this story as quickly as possible, I did only cursory research into the Japanese scenes. Note that, in keeping with the idea of the Wizarding world being somewhat archaic, I use archaic names for Hokkaido (Ezochi) and Tokyo (Edo). But the places do exist, at least on Google Maps! ;)

Originally the Squib of Fate, Yumi Noriko, was simply a normal Japanese girl, who just happened to have blood DNA patterns similar enough to the Artisan. But just as I was writing this chapter, I changed things and created a richer, darker backstory, with Lord Azon. I was very pleased to see how much it fit with the Squib of Fate prophecy! And in the final editing, I did make a change which now I'm not so certain I should have: originally Lord Azon created Yumi's antimagical powers accidentally, but here Andromeda puts an Imperius Curse on him and makes him do it deliberately. It makes Andromeda more evil, but in retrospect it might have been better if Yumi's creation were a lesson as to the twisted consequences of blood-based thinking. I almost never have second thoughts about what I write, so I wanted to let people know this and draw their own conclusions. It's not a major thing, but it is worth noting. And perhaps the lesson is not to tinker too much!

I'm not sure if the Pokemon character card thing makes sense; originally Nihilo and Nihila were to have left a Portkey behind, but that seemed too risky; what if Harry had come with the entire Auror department? The implication with the way things are written now is that the discovery by Harry was a surprise; the original intent was that it was to be a trap.

Finally, the original plan was to leave Harry saying: "Andromeda" to the beginning of the next chapter! Because I wasn't sure when I would complete it, I didn't want to leave things hanging too much, so I decided I would spoil it. Hopefully when all of you read it, you were surprised, and began rereading the story and seeing all the clues left behind!

**Chapter 15 – The Last Wizard**

Having struggled mightily to get to this stage, the final three chapters have gone almost exactly as I originally conceived.

When I started writing this chapter, at first Andromeda's desire for revenge seemed a weak motivation for her actions. But then I realized that the answer was staring me in the face: even though Harry and company say differently, Wizards and Muggles are different, and not in meaningless ways like skin color or language. It's also clear that magic, for the most part, is more powerful than technology. So the problem Andromeda identifies is real: wizards are always going to feel, in some way, superior to Muggles, and the temptation to use magic against Muggles will always be there. In Andromeda's mind, that's intolerable, as it will one day mean another Voldemort, so this gives her added motivation to destroy magic. There is a self-hatred part of it, but the twisted rightness of her cause in her eyes makes her a much stronger villain.

Originally Teddy was to have been influenced by something called a 'Famalatus Potion', which is not quite like the Imperius Curse; it merely ensures loyalty to a cause the victim is sympathetic to. In the end I decided I'd invented enough magic, and used the Imperius Curse, leaving it ambiguous as to how hard Teddy actually resisted.

The Epilogue of DH shows Teddy to be a reasonably happy and well-adjusted young man, but things can always be changed! ;) I cut out some of Teddy's explanations of his motivations, but the basics are unchanged. I do think Harry would eventually tell the whole truth to him, whether he would do it so early is unknown, but we know how much he resented Dumbledore for dribbling out info, even to the end, so while I do think Harry would have modeled his role as a father on Dumbledore, this is a change I could imagine him doing.

The Resurrection Stone was a key part of the plan; the difficulty was getting from the Stone to Voldemort. I quickly made use of Bellatrix as the stepping stone: with that seriously-nasty piece of Dark Magic I conjured up (along with a suggestion I read elsewhere that Voldemort probably had an affair with Bellatrix), it was easy for Andromeda to learn the truth. I mentioned the changes made to Azon; at the last second I added the ten year delay part, because I had to explain why Andromeda did not immediately execute her plan when Yumi was born. I also have Teddy give what I think is a better explanation for how the Elder Wand would behave after Harry did what he did (apologies to JKR!) Perhaps he should have done what he did in the movie! :p

As I said earlier, the Ortus is capricious and acts in mysterious ways, which is why I have it simply come out the other end when Andromeda throws it in. Her second plan would have worked, however.

The Last Wizard, as we now know, refers to Teddy Lupin. Andromeda originally planned for all wizards, including her, to be made Maigcless, except for Teddy, who would have been the Last Wizard of old and the First Wizard of new. Originally Lily would have been far more receptive to Andromeda's offer, as a means to escape, but I decided that would have been out of character.

The spell that knocks out Hermione is the same one used in OotP; don't know what it is, but I had to make her unconscious so the focus could be on Harry/Lily and Andromeda/Teddy. Sorry Hermione!

Yumi of course helps them escape the chains and shields Lily from Andromeda. Not sure if in reality Yumi would have been so friendly to Harry and Lily, but I wanted to make her a good person. At first she was going to die, but I quickly dropped that idea. Sorry for not giving her more speaking lines.

Martin becomes a wizard! That was long-planned, and like I said it was to happen in the previous chapter, but here is good too. I like that he becomes super-powerful, but everything has a price, and the Ortus does it in a mysterious way: Martin is essentially omnipotent, but only gets 3 lives. Sadly, he squanders them before anyone realizes the truth. And yes, he was always going to die! :p

Harry being robbed of his powers by Andromeda was always part of the story: it was a way to raise the stakes, as a story where the main characters can never die or be badly hurt is boring. I speculated Harry would die at the end of the series, and that Voldemort would have been turned into a Squib; I will discuss this issue more in the next chapter.

**Chapter 16 – A Black Death**

Originally 15 and 16 were one chapter, but it was too long, so I divided it in two. 'Black Death' is a play on Andromeda's maiden name.

Incredibly, this chapter (or part of the chapter) is written almost 100% exactly as I imagined it when I first conceived this story over 5 years ago: Harry turned into a Squib, Lily using the Resurrection Stone to bring Tonks back, Tonks stepping out of the Veil, showing everyone how she dies, then going back into the Veil, with Andromeda following behind and the Veil exploding. OK, not 100.00% exact—originally Harry was going to use a powerful charm called an Empathus Charm, where he shares with Andromeda his deepest thoughts and feelings. When Andromeda realized how much Harry loved Lupin and Tonks, how much it killed him to see them dead, and his willingness to sacrifice himself to save his friends, it made Andromeda turn away. When writing, I decided it was redundant with Tonks returning, and her coming back was strong enough motivation to cause Andromeda to change her mind.

As I said earlier, JKR can be one cold cat! ;) Offing Fred just like that, and killing Tonks and Lupin without even a single word was just crushing. I wanted to do a flashback to the Battle of Hogwarts, and one which was far more brutal than described in words or on film. In them, Tonks sees giants pulling a wizard in two; she then sees a dementor actually performing the Kiss. Snape in the POA movie said it was 'unbearable to watch', but the movie version was just eerie. Here, seeing the soul as an actual person, being silently consumed and destroyed by the dementor, I think is far more horrible and unbearable—I had trouble writing it, and it gave me bad memories for a while. Finally, we see students being eaten by the spiders—good thing Ron wasn't there.

And the death scene of Tonks. This is inspired by a piece of fanart I saw on the Deviantart website, where Tonks is in tears over Lupin's body, and behind her Bellatrix is smirking as she's about to kill Tonks. It's a horrible, degrading death, which puts Bellatrix in the worst possible light; I could have done even more, as one of the sad realities of war is mutilation of dead enemies' bodies, but this is a T story (and granted Tonks and Lupin were physically unblemished when dead).

We do get a few scenes recapping how Harry felt when he saw his parents; when Ted Tonks died; how Andromeda responded to the news of their deaths; and Teddy's own rage and pain. All through the magic of the Ortus! At last, Lily understands who Harry Potter is and what he endured.

Both the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand are destroyed—again this is a fanfic that does not stay with the status quo!

Finally, the curtain of the veil tearing in two is a deliberate reference to what happened to the veil in the Temple after Jesus dies on the cross. However, the symbolism is opposite in intent: instead of breaching the barrier between life and death, the tearing of the veil and the destruction of the Arch is an act of the Ortus/Magic/Magick reestablishing the barriers between the two.

As said earlier, Voldemort is 'punished' (by Magic?) for tearing his soul repeatedly; sorta like _Beetlejuice_, I guess the way you look in the afterlife depends on how you die! ;) When Slughorn says killing rips your soul apart, I explain it from the view that Magic considers all of us united, one; no difference between yourself and your neighbor—to destroy another is to destroy yourself. So Andromeda's soul must have been torn by her acts of murder. However, like I said Magic works in mysterious ways, and because of the strength of her grief, and the fact that her anger and hatred were created from the destruction of all that she loves, Magic may have forgiven her by making her one with Magic.

**Chapter 17 – Secrets for the Grave**

There's something very stark and serious about the title. What Lily and Harry do—lie to protect the truth of who Nihilo and Nihila were and why they did what they did—still leaves me conflicted. On the one hand, to not tell the truth means all the positive changes that result (reexamining of wizard attitudes) from they do is built on a false foundation. On the other hand, no terrible consequences will take root on the truth of what happened, either. I think the dilemma would have been even starker had we gotten to know Andromeda and Teddy more, seen their good side. It would have made the shock of their turn stronger, and conflicted feelings even worse. But even as is, I think it's still a good meaty dilemma left behind. Poor Grindelwald; in the end he actually showed remorse and positive change before Voldemort killed him, and his reward? Harry and Lily disgrace his name further! ;) But it's all for the Greater Good

It was good to have Rose make one final appearance—she leaves the faint possibility of hope for the victims of Andromeda and Teddy. And villain to the last, Lucius Malfoy takes the cowardly way out, proving sadly that some people will not change. I wanted Rose to be in on the secret, but having Lily's entire family know is already too many.

I basically didn't include anything of Xeno's funeral because I was running out of steam! But I do think mourning and dwelling on his death is not what he, or Luna, would have wanted. This was as good a place as any to have Lily meditate on the significance of the Ortus; the idea is not to provide answers, but raise questions. Perhaps the magical universe is a reincarnation one, where death leads to a new life, the cycle ever repeating? I did want to show that Luna fully understood what happened with her mother and the significance of it all, and unlike her father did not need to be restrained to accept it. Luna's a very wise woman—Harry was right to make her godmother to Lily!

Poor Teddy! Like I said, in truth what he did was probably unforgivable, and only greater development would have made it more palatable. But in the end, sometimes justice is not done, even in the cause of the greater good. There's just the hint of shippiness between Lily and Teddy; let's leave it at that!

The Potter family is a very positive one, so even in such a crisis they are all level-headed and not without a sense of humor! I would have loved to have shown more of Lily, James and Albus interacting, but like I said cuts had to be made. Same thing with Ginny; the love of Harry Potter's life deserves greater development! Hopefully you will find many other fanfics which do so.

In writing Harry and Lily's final conversation, I had omitted discussion of how Lily felt about the coverup—a pretty big omission! So it's been added in, in case you haven't reread this story since it was finished. I especially like Harry's comments about how revenge has to come to an end for peace to prevail, and the sometimes impossibly complex motivations of people.

Like I said earlier, the Ortus is not just a magical tool, but an embodiment of Magic itself. Paradoxically, that means numbers don't necessarily matter: in the hands of the right one, it will act over all others. So when Andromeda's powerful grief had propelled her to hatred and revenge, when the Ortus became part of Andromeda her feelings became part of the Ortus, and of Magic itself. In that moment, Magic would have destroyed itself to carry out Andromeda's will—more precisely, would have stripped magic from all wizards. But when Tonks came back, Andromeda's rage had disappeared; all that was left was a desperate yearning to be with her daughter again. Magic/the Ortus could not do that, as it had created the division between life and death to prevent Magic from being destroyed by not-Magic, but it did bring peace to Andromeda by making her one with Magic, and thus one with Nymphadora and Ted Tonks. Therefore, the Ortus is not 'good' or 'evil' in our sense of the word. It is both, and neither; but ultimately it is our choices that determine whether we are characterized as good or evil, not 'good' or 'evil' natures that lead to good or evil choices. I'm sure JKR believes that.

I had so much fun with Harry's prophecy that I almost changed the title of this chapter to "The Prophecy of Harry Potter", but no. I think it is a (Magic?)-inspired revelation of the idea that one day, the divisions that we see in the world between magical and non-magical, and all other divisions, even life and death, will one day be resolved in Magic. Finally, I always imagined the end being Harry giving Lily his wand, for safe-keeping, until he returns with Magic. As the final line says, I'm sure that one day, Harry Potter and his new adventures will return once again. Here's hoping!

**Epilogue – An Unexpected Guest**

These places are real, again thanks to Google Maps!

I always imagined the first step of Harry Potter's new quest to undo the damage done by Andromeda would be to pay a visit to the Dursley's, who I'm sure he hasn't seen in 29 years. You see a much older Vernon and Petunia, and a Dudley who seems to be a somewhat redeemed individual. Contrast with a cool, confident middle-aged Harry Potter. I don't want to give the impression that everything has gone back to the beginning, when Harry was an ordinary boy in a depressing situation about to step into greatness. Like every moment in life, he's at one stop along the way.

* * *

Whew! I think that's about all there is to say about this story, but if you have more questions please let me know. One thing people may be wondering: what happens next, and will you write about it? Sadly, I probably won't, so I feel free to share some ideas. Like Harry said, his quest is not like hunting Horcruxes; it's more a spiritual journey, trying to understand why Magic has divided the world between wizards and Muggles. Along the way Teddy is there, and Harry teaches him and helps him heal from the horrors he inflicted. Along the way, there may have been one or two bad guys, victims of Andromeda (sigh revenge). Harry then travels to the Ortus, back to the world of the dead, learns the answers to everything, and returns to a world where the curtain is finally lifted, and the barriers between the wizard world and the Muggle world are erased once and for all. Finally, the two branches of humanity must learn to live with each other and move forward as one. And Harry's powers are restored and he returns to his family!

I don't think I'm going to write a sequel to this story, which is why I've given all my ideas away. You can play with them in your own stories or imagination! If I do return to Harry Potter, it will be my Dumbledore versus Grindelwald story, a fast action-packed tale with a surprising ending. But I'm not going to do it until I have time to do it all at once—I promise again, no more sporadic updates!

Thanks again for reading, and remember to always do what is right instead of what is easy! Magic be with you all!

Scruffy-looking

Friday, June 21, 2013


End file.
